Three Soldiers Killed in Matouke Ambush as Separatists Claim Retaliation for Ekona Civilian Deaths

Three Cameroonian soldiers have been killed in an ambush along the Matouke–Kotto road in Moungo Division, Littoral Region, in an attack claimed by the separatist armed group Fako/Meme Unity Warriors.

The attack occurred at approximately 7 a.m. on Wednesday, September 23, in the New Layout area of Matouke, as the soldiers were reportedly heading towards a control post.

The three soldiers, attached to the 23rd Motorised Infantry Battalion (BIM) detachment based in Matouke, have been identified as Sergeant Ateba Olanguena, Chief Corporal Betkemo Banibou and Private First Class Abienza Joseph.

According to information gathered by MMI News, the soldiers came under fire from armed men who subsequently fled with their weapons and ammunition.

The attack has also been reported by Cameroonian news outlet Le Bled Parle, which cited sources confirming the deaths of three soldiers and the reported seizure of military equipment.

Separatist fighters claim retaliation for Ekona killings

The Fako/Meme Unity Warriors have claimed responsibility for the ambush, describing it as retaliation for the recent killing of three civilians in Ekona, South-West Region.

In a video reviewed by MMI News, individuals claiming to represent the armed group display firearms, ammunition and military uniforms, which they present as items seized during the attack.

The footage does not show the bodies of the three soldiers, and the origin of the displayed equipment cannot be established from the video alone.

The group’s stated justification refers to the killing of three civilians in Ekona on September 19.

The victims were reportedly shot inside their homes. Local accounts have accused armed men associated with John Eko Ewume, commonly known as Moja Moja, a former member of Cameroon’s Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR), of carrying out the killings. Those accusations have not been established through a judicial process.

The Fako/Meme Unity Warriors have presented the Matouke ambush as a response to those deaths. Their claim does not establish responsibility for the Ekona killings or prove that retaliation was the sole motive for the attack.

Another attack near the South-West border

Matouke, in the Penda Mboko area of Moungo Division, is close to Cameroon’s South-West Region, where separatist armed groups have been fighting government forces for several years.

Its location near the boundary between the Littoral and South-West regions has previously exposed the community to attacks associated with the Anglophone conflict.

On May 1, 2023, armed separatists attacked a security checkpoint in Matouke.

Contemporary reports citing local authorities said three members of the defence and security forces and a civilian were killed. The victims included a soldier, a gendarme and a police officer. Other accounts subsequently reported a higher death toll.

The 2023 attack attracted attention because it took place in a predominantly French-speaking region, less than 40 kilometres from Douala, Cameroon’s economic capital.

The International Crisis Group documented the incident as part of the spread of separatist attacks beyond the North-West and South-West regions.

Fako/Meme Unity Warriors linked to previous attacks

The armed group claiming responsibility for Wednesday’s ambush has previously announced operations against Cameroonian military positions in the South-West Region.

On August 29, 2026, two Cameroonian soldiers were killed in an ambush in Mbonge, Meme Division. Chinese news agency Xinhua reported, citing military sources, that the Fako/Meme Unity Warriors claimed responsibility for that attack.

Earlier in May, the group also claimed an attack against a military position around Muyuka, in Fako Division. Footage circulated after that incident showed armed fighters displaying weapons they said had been seized from government forces.

The latest Matouke attack follows this series of operations claimed by the group. It is not known whether the same fighters were involved in each incident.

Security reinforced as Anglophone conflict continues

Security measures have reportedly been reinforced around Matouke following Wednesday’s ambush, as efforts continue to locate those responsible.

The attack comes amid the continuing armed conflict in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions, which began with protests by lawyers and teachers in late 2016 over the perceived marginalisation of Anglophone legal and educational systems.

The government’s response to those protests preceded the emergence of armed separatist groups in 2017 and the escalation of violence between separatist fighters and Cameroon’s defence and security forces.

The conflict has since extended into neighbouring areas, including parts of the Littoral and West regions.

In a 2023 investigation, Amnesty International documented unlawful killings, abductions, torture and other abuses involving armed separatists, security forces and militias. The organisation also reported that armed groups had maintained the capacity to attack government positions outside the two Anglophone regions.

Wednesday’s attack brings renewed attention to insecurity along the boundary between the Littoral and South-West regions, where both security personnel and civilians have previously been killed.

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