CRI听力:African Union Leaders Meet to Discuss Joint-Army against Boko Haram 

Leading officials with the African Union have been meeting to discuss how to deal with the growing insurgency of the Boko Haram rebels in northeastern Nigeria.

The AU has authorized a force of 75-hundred troops from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin to be inserted into the region to fight the militants.

African leaders are also expected to seek a United Nations Security Council mandate, which could lead to an expanded operation against the group.

Cameroon Defense Minister Edgar Ngo'o says operational plans are still being worked on.

"We're going to work on the structure of the operation, elaborate a plan that will ensure logistical support, as well as the goals we want to achieve. In general terms, it will be the management of this operation that will determine the right deployment of forces on the ground, and this will be submitted by the African Union to the UN Security Council, which will confer the new force an international legitimacy, as well as the financial resources necessary for its effective operation."

Boko Haram militants, who initially began pressing their demands for the adoption of Sharia Law in Nigeria 6-years ago, have since begun running raids into neighboring countries.

The group maintains a stronghold in northeastern Nigeria, but also has supporters in neighboring Cameroon and Niger.