Children among 22 killed in attack on Cameroon village

22 people, including numerous children, have been killed during an attack on Ntumbo village in north-west Cameroon, the UN has said. 

Among those killed were a reported 14 children and a pregnant woman, with numerous victims said to have been burned alive. 

No-one has yet claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack, but an opposition party has blamed the army. Cameroon’s government has in turn denied any involvement in the attack. 

James Nunan, an official from the UN’s humanitarian co-ordination agency Ocha, said the incident had “terrified” the local population.

“Whichever group has done this has threatened that there will be more violence ahead," he said. "The people we've spoken with are extremely traumatised and didn't expect this.”

The attacks come against the backdrop of wider conflict in north-west Cameroon, where the english-speaking population is attempting to wrestle independence from the country’s francophone government. 

Armed separatists groups began to emerge in 2017, following a military crackdown on protests. They have since declared independence for the state of Ambazonia and been labelled terrorists by President Paul Biya. 

 Responding to Friday’s attacks, Agbor Mballa, a leader of the separatist movement, suggested that “state defence forces were responsible” - an accusation the army vehemently denies. 

More than 3,00 people have died in the fighting since 2017, with a further 70,000 displaced from their homes. 

Cameroon’s government has been accused of human rights abuses during the conflict, and US President Donald Trump has removed the country for a special trade programme with America. 

Photo: Reuters