Sources on ground at Gom-Nwa in the village of Nkot, Donga Mantung Division, Northwest Region have confirmed that approximately 22 houses were burnt to the ground by the military on Wednesday April 21st, 2021.
The military had reportedly invaded the village that day in search of Separatist fighters (Ambas) whom they believed resided in the village.
The raid consequently laid to heavy collateral damage on the part of the villagers rather than the Amba Fighters who were the prime targets.
Indigenes of the village have expressed their frustrations and anger at both military forces and the Amba Fighters as face offs between both have seen the population sandwiched in-between suffered more.
“Should our old mothers and fathers keep suffering like this? Is this peace? How on earth should innocent people who never called for war or ask their children to pick up arms suffer so much pain and loss?” Lamented an indigene.
The frustrations of the people of Nkot village appear more piercing because the population had together rejected the activities of the separatist fighters from their village and collectively demanded that they leave.
Just some weeks after they stood up to the Amba boys, the military came raiding and razed down their homes and looted their property. What makes it worse, locals say, is that the army didn’t manage to capture a single separatist fighter in the raid.