Cameroon separatists relaunch attacks on government forces

Separatist fighters in Southern Cameroons have restarted their attacks against government forces after the President of Cameroon announced infrastructure plans in the English-speaking region, claiming that peace was returning to the country. 

The military said attacks have been reported in at least seven villages, with 13 fighters killed. Separatists say the military had more casualties. 

The attacks came after President Paul Biya launched his ‘Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest Regions’ last week. The president has instructed workers to begin rebuilding roads, schools and hospitals, which had been badly damaged by three years of separatist conflict. 

Public Works Minister Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi said that the engineers were now leaving the region following persistent attacks from separatist forces.

"The work started, unfortunately some criminals came and destroyed the property of the company but we have to continue without showing any signs of weakness”, he said.

Unrest began in Cameroon in 2017, after the government ordered a crackdown on peaceful protests led by English-speaking lawyers and teachers, who complained of being marginalised by the French-speaking majority.

In 2019, separatist forces claimed independence from Cameroon, under the newly-created republic of Ambazonia. 

Photo: VOA