A suspected group of armed rebels from the Central African Republic killed three people in a village in neighbouring Cameroon and kidnapped seven others, the latest in a spate of cross-border attacks, Cameroon state radio said on Friday.

Residents in Mbeng village said the attack took place early on Thursday when masked assailants entered the village. They shot three women and took away five others. The same group is suspected to have seized two other people the next day.

Armed bands from the Central African Republic have carried out raids across the border since their country descended into chaos in March 2013 when the Seleka rebel group seized power.

A transitional government is now in place but attacks continue, prompting Cameroon to deploy special forces on the border.

In March, 15 people including a mayor and local government officials were kidnapped in a similar attack.