The attack took place in the village of Egbekawo in western Cameroon, where rebels and government forces have been fighting for seven years.
“About 20 men, women and children were killed in the attack and 10 people were seriously injured in the hospital,” said a senior regional administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Security forces and government officials also confirmed the attack and the preliminary death toll.
Cameroon’s predominantly English-speaking northwest and southwest regions have been wracked by conflict since separatists declared independence in 2017.
The Cameroonian minority has felt discriminated against by the French-speaking majority for decades.
President Paul Biya, who has ruled Cameroon with an iron fist for more than 40 years, has resisted calls for greater autonomy and retaliated with harsh measures.
According to the analytical center “International Crisis Group”, the conflict killed more than 6 thousand people. lives and forced more than a million people to flee their homes.
Both separatists and government forces have been accused of brutality during the fighting.
The separatists attacked civilians in Egbekavo, killing an estimated 23 people and burning about 15 houses, a local gendarmerie official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP by phone.
An official from the country’s human rights commission confirmed the attack and reported 15 dead. “However, this figure may change,” the source told AFP.
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2024-10-02 19:43:39
