A woman, whose identity is yet to be confirmed by MMI, was killed in crossfire during a military operation against separatist fighters in Kejom Ketinguh village, Tubah Subdivision. The incident occurred on Monday, September 16, when soldiers, pursuing armed separatists, engaged in a confrontation that resulted in the deaths of the woman and a separatist fighter known as “Commander Rough Coin.”
Local residents of Babanki Tinguh reported that the military raid caused panic, forcing many to flee their homes. According to local sources, the woman was captured alongside the separatist fighter before they were killed. Another source informed MMI that the woman had hidden in a separatist hideout while trying to escape the scene, which inadvertently put her in harm’s way.
Since protests by teachers’ unions and lawyers’ associations in 2016 were taken over by armed groups in 2017, civilians have often been caught in the crossfire or mistaken for separatist fighters, as these fighters continue to blend in with the local population.
Rights groups have been urging dialogue to resolve the conflict. In 2020, the government convened a dialogue in Yaoundé, but it was criticized by opposition and separatist leaders abroad as one-sided.
