12 hostages freed in military raid on amba camp in Pinyin

Some 12 hostages in Pinyin, Santa subdivision in the North West region have been reunited with their families after an ordeal in amba fighters’ captivity.

The hostages, some of whom had spent a week in captivity, were released in a series of operations by the forces of law and order of the 5th joint military region from April 16 to 17.

“We were never permitted to leave. If we wanted to relieve ourselves, we did it in the same place where we were held … there were 12 of us …,” testified one of the former hostages.

“They beat us every morning and gave us food once after 2 days said one of the former hostages…,” media reports quote the victims further.

According to military sources, items recovered included an automatic rifle, Ak47 and other arms, munitions, and a device for the manufacturing of improvised explosive devices.

In one of their raids in a locality called Asu, in Pinyin, two separatist fighters were shot dead.

Lauding the action, General Nka Valere noted that the aim of the army remains the protection of persons and property from the amba boys.

The special operation follows a message circulated on social media suggesting that the Bamenda Santa road was out of bounds, asking that all vehicles should go through the Kumba-Mamfe stretch of road to get to Bamenda.

Kidnapping for ransom remains a tactic used by separatist fighters in the four-year-long armed conflict in Cameroon. Thousands of lives have been lost as the belligerents continue to fight to death despite appeals for a ceasefire and peace talks.

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