The military carried out a "special operation that led to the liberation of the hostages," Cameroonian President Paul Biya said on Wednesday, without providing further details about the operation.

Soldiers rescued 15 Cameroonian nationals, as well as the Polish Roman Catholic priest Mateusz Dziedzic, in the raid against members of the Democratic Front of the Central African People (FDPC), according to the military.

The Cameroonians were kidnapped near their country's eastern border with CAR in attacks on October 14 and 16

Dziedzic, a priest in the town of Baboua on the Central African Republic (CAR) side of the border, was kidnapped on October 12.

The FDPC is one of a number of armed groups in CAR in conflict with both the government and other armed groups. It has demanded that Cameroon release its leader Abdoulaye Miskine, who was arrested in the capital, Yaounde, in mid-September.

'Talks secured release'

The Polish Foreign Ministry confirmed its citizen had been freed, but said this was thanks to talks. "Father Mateusz Dziedzic has been freed," spokesman Marcin Wojciechowski said.

"It was a complex act of negotiation involving several countries, countries within the region and international organizations," he said, singling out "the role of France" in particular.

"His state of health isn't excellent, but he isn't in danger," Wojciechowski said, adding that the priest was on his way to the capital of the Republic of the Congo, Brazaville.

The FDPC was formerly allied to the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group, which toppled CAR's Christian President Francois Bozize in March 2013.

rc/mkg (AFP, dpa, Reuters)