YAOUNDE, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon's October presidential poll will hold in the Southwest and Northwest Anglophone regions in spite of growing concerns of instability there, said Monday the country's minister of territorial administration, Paul Atanga Nji.

"There will be elections in the regions because following the statistics given by administrative authorities, we can tell you that the terrorists are in a few places, pocket of resistance. Generally the situation is under control. The security forces have done everything despite all the odds to maintain calm and serenity," Atanga Nji told reporters after a fact-finding mission to the troubled regions.

Since November last year, government forces have been clashing with armed separatist forces who want the two regions to secede from the majority French-speaking nation and form a new country called "Ambazonia".

Over 160,000 people have been displaced by the conflict internally and close to 30,000 others are seeking refuge in Nigeria, according to the United Nations.

The minister's declaration came after the armed separatist forces threatened to disrupt the upcoming election. Atanga Nji said measures have been put in place to restore peace in the regions before the election.

"The terrorists will be tracked down. They will have no hiding place", he said.