 |
| Cameroonian gendarmes patrol in the South West provincial capital Buea during a rally for President Paul Biya's ruling CPDM party, 3 October 2018. Photo: Marco Longari/AFP |
FAKO, Cameroon
An armed group attacked a military outpost in Fako Division, South West Region, on Sunday night, leaving two soldiers dead, a security source has confirmed.
The assault occurred just two days before Cameroon’s National Day celebrations, but government authorities have not issued any official statement on the incident.
A group identifying itself as the Fako Meme Unity Warriors claimed responsibility for the attack. In a communication received by Gazette Africa, the group said its fighters seized five guns and a rocket launcher from government forces.
“Currently they now move around, warning us not to take orders from the La République,” a local resident told Gazette Africa on Monday.
The attack is the latest in the ongoing conflict in Cameroon’s anglophone regions, where separatist fighters have been battling government forces since 2016. The violence has resulted in many deaths and the displacement of thousands of civilians.
Human rights organizations and others have accused both separatist groups and government troops of serious violations, including extrajudicial killings. Both sides deny the allegations. Many observers note that the Cameroonian government has shown little willingness to engage in meaningful negotiations to resolve the ongoing crisis.