Anglophone Crisis:
Bloody weekend in NW, SW as gov’t, soldiers register heavy losses

The past days have been bloody in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon where a war has been raging for over four years and counting.

The army initially announced gains, but the weekend didn’t end in its favour.

Days back the Cameroonian army said it had made gains in an operation termed Keep Bui Clean, as it sought to rid the Division off separatist fighters.

Bui had for several months prior to the military operation, been considered as a major hideout for separatist fighters fighting for the state of Ambazonia.

The new move was expected to look like one initiated in the regional capital, Bamenda months back, aimed to enable government regain control of key areas and activities, to make way for the announced reconstruction of the war-torn North West and South West regions.

During the operation, several fighters, the army stated, had been neutralised and their weapons seized.

A certain ‘General’ No Pity, the army added, had been cornered and was on the run.

Just a few hours later, however, it appeared the Frankenstein monster was retaliating. The self-styled General of whom little had been heard of before, suddenly became a terror overnight.

He took responsibility for the killing of four state forces in Bamali, Ndop on Saturday. Social media videos depict separatist fighters rejoicing over the corpses of the fallen soldiers, firing gunshots in the air and cursing at the Cameroonian army.

On June 17, a day earlier, separatist fighters had struck, this time, at the Bamenda II Council in the North West region.

Unconfirmed reports say three casualties were recorded on the part of the army.

In the South West region, the situation was no better. In Nguti, Kupe-Muanenguba Division, two soldiers were gunned down by separatist fighters on Friday.

One too was killed in Ekona, a town formerly known for being a hotspot for armed exchanges.

Still, the situation got worse, as one of six Divisional Delegates abducted by men who identified as separatist fighters, was killed.

Johnson Mudika Mabia, the victim, was the Ndian Divisional Delegate at the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, reports say. His body was transported to Limbe on Friday afternoon.

The death of the Delegate as well as soldiers in separate incidents followed the earlier killing of four security personnel in an ambush in Otu, Manyu Division. Some Security personnel were reportedly injured and others missing after the attack.

Government has however maintained sealed lips over the series of blows dealt by separatists, amidst cries for a ceasefire by civilians.

Hundreds of thousands have been maimed, injured, displaced and killed since the crisis started, but government and separatists remain reticent to resolve their differences, despite calls for dialogue.

88-year-old long-serving President, Paul Biya who has jailed separatist leaders in the capital, Yaoundé, has often remained mute on the crisis tearing the nation apart, choosing to go the military way.

Mimi Mefo Info