‘Bloody’ weekend in Anglophone Cameroon as separatists scale up attacks with IEDs

Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, are fast becoming a new normal in the four-year-long armed conflict in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions.

Over the weekend, three separate attacks were recorded in the country’s North West and South West regions, all involving the use of IEDs.
Two were recorded in Kumbo and Bafut in the North West region, and a third in Alou, Lebialem division in the South West region. Going by amateur footages circulating on separatist propaganda sites, all three cases involved explosions, followed by heavy gunfire opened on military convoys on patrol.

In Bafut, the separatist fighters believed to be of the 7 Kata faction rejoice and sing, as one narrates that soldiers fled from them leaving behind a gun and ammunition.

In the video shot in Alou, Lebialem, the perpetrators of the attack say they are of the Red Dragon group, one of many others fighting government forces.

No authority has made any comments on the three attacks as well as whether any casualties were recorded. Unconfirmed reports, however suggest a few soldiers were killed in the Alou attack.

While the situation continues to deteriorate, government and the army have often maintained sealed lips over such attacks on their convoys, in what many believe is part of government’s plan to maintain an ‘all-is-well’ image of the situation in the regions.

The armed conflict has deteriorated with thousands killed and thousands more fleeing their homes for safety.

Despite the increased misery recorded in what has been described as the world’s most neglected conflict, President Paul Biya and jailed separatist leaders remain adamant to call for a ceasefire as well as dialogue.