Anglophone Crisis: As conflict worsens in Big Babanki, youths flee, elderly men, women left to bury the dead

MMI’s Sources in Kejom Keku (Big Babanki) say there is no young man left in the village, a locality in the Mezam division of the restive North West Region of Cameroon.

Most young men have reportedly fled the village for their dear lives after at least twelve civilians were killed in the latest operation by security forces.

Locals hold the Fon of the village responsible for inviting the military to combat separatist fighters operating in Big Babanki.

Attempts by villagers to dump the corpses of those killed at the palace met a stonewall as they were repelled by the military and forced to burry them in their respective homes at gunpoint, our sources added.

“The corpses of those killed were Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th of June 2023 buried in their various residences. The plan to carry the corpses to the palace as earlier proposed by some villagers was stopped by the military, who gave firm instructions on how to bury the corpses,” a source who opted not to be named told MMI.

According to reports, old people were forced to dig the graves as no young men were found around.

“So far, the digging of graves has been another huddle; only the old are available to dig the graves and bury the dead. Every young man in the village has fled for safety,” the source said.

Meanwhile, troops on Monday, June 19, observed as a ghost town, “have been moving from home to home, pulling individuals out to go and open their shops.”

By David Atangana