Cameroon Soldiers Kill 12 Separatist Fighters; Rescue Abducted Senator
The separatist fighters have been holding a lawmaker and others as hostages since Apr 30, 2022 before the army operation on Monday May 30, 2022.
At least 12 separatist fighters were killed during a gun battle between the separatists and soldiers of the Cameroon army’s elite Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) on Monday, May 30.
The troop raided the separatist hideout in Ashong, Batibo district of Momo division in the Northwest region of Cameroon and rescued Elizabeth Regina Mundi, a Senator of the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement (CPDM), who was kidnapped on Saturday, April 30, 2022.
According to Capt. Cyrille Serge Atonfack Guemo, the Head of the Communication Division in the Ministry of Defence, the soldiers arrested three separatist fighters and freed other hostages.
Capt. Gueomo said in a statement that the army could locate where the kidnapped Senator and other hostages were held following intelligence gathered from the local population.
“As our men approached on the evening of Monday… heavily armed terrorists opened fire to halt their progress while some of their comrades tried to escape with the hostages held captive in their hideout,” he said.
Besides releasing the hostages, the BIR forces seized assault rifles and ammunition of various calibres, including 14 improvised explosive devices and a vehicle belonging to Senator Mundi.
Senator Mundi was kidnapped along with her driver on Saturday, April 30, 2022, while travelling from Bamenda to her village for a funeral.
Two Ambazonian Defence Forces (ADF) factions claimed responsibility for the abduction. One section demanded the release of detained separatists in exchange for the release of Senator Mundi; the other faction asked for a ransom of several million FCFA.
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