African country of varied terrain and wildlife
Separatist fighters in Cameroon killed six people in a
raid on an army post in the troubled English-speaking Northwest
province, the government said Saturday.
The dawn raid on Friday involved “armed separatist groups” and
claimed the lives of four soldiers and two civilians at Matazem,
said a statement from communications minister and government
spokesman Rene Emmanuel Sadi.
Matazem sits on the border between the Northwest province and
the predominantly French-speaking West province.
On Wednesday, in Northwest province, the government said
“separatist terrorists” killed four soldiers and a civilian in an
attack on an official convoy.
Anglophone separatists have been fighting for independence in
Cameroon’s two mainly English-speaking provinces, Northwest and
Southwest, since October 2017, launching regular attacks on the
army.
Most of Cameroon, a former French colony, is French-speaking,
and the separatists cite decades of grievances at perceived
discrimination by the francophone majority.
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But their self-proclaimed state of Ambazonia has not been
recognised internationally.
International rights groups and the United Nations have
denounced the toll the conflict has taken on the region’s civilian
population, who they say are frequently victims of crimes and
abuses on both sides.
As well as attacks targeting police officers and soldiers, the
armed separatists — nicknamed “Amba Boys” — are increasingly
kidnapping civilians, especially students and teachers they accuse
of teaching French.
They have also murdered inhabitants who they suspect of
“collaborating” with President Paul Biya’s administration.
More than 3,000 people have been killed and at least 700,000
have fled their homes since the separatists launched their armed
campaign.
AFP
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