Cameroon : Gunmen kill 10 in Northwest Cameroon in ongoing anglophone crisis
Gunmen killed 10 people in the northwest Cameroonian town of Bamenda on August 16, in the latest attack in the region’s ongoing Anglophone crisis.
The gunmen opened fire on a group of people at a busy junction in Bamenda, killing 10 and injuring two. The victims were reportedly civilians, including women and children.
The attack is the latest in a series of violence in the northwest and southwest regions of Cameroon, which have been roiled by an armed conflict between separatists and government forces since 2016.
The separatists are fighting for independence for the Anglophone regions, which were once part of British Cameroon. They accuse the government of marginalizing the Anglophone minority.
The government has denied the allegations of marginalization and has accused the separatists of terrorism.
The conflict has caused a humanitarian crisis in the northwest and southwest regions. Thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and thousands more have been killed.
The United Nations has called for an end to the violence in Cameroon and has urged the government and the separatists to reach a negotiated settlement.
However, there has been little progress in peace negotiations. The conflict is likely to continue to cause instability in Cameroon for the foreseeable future.
The attack on Bamenda is a reminder of the serious human rights crisis that is unfolding in Cameroon. The government and the separatists must take urgent steps to end the violence and ensure the safety of civilians. The international community must also pressure the government and the separatists to reach a negotiated settlement.
Moussa Johnson