Cameroon Troops Kill 12 Separatist Fighters, Destroy Camp

The Cameroon army says its troops have killed 12 separatist fighters and destroyed one of their training camps in Yeloum, a village situated between Oku and Nkoo in the Bui Division of the Northwest Region.

According to Valere Nka, a General and Commander of the 5th inter-arms military region where the operation was carried out on Monday, March 1, an artisanal arms fabrication outfit was also destroyed.

“I have told them to continue in the respect of human rights, the rules of engagement and behaviour. We have to pacify the Northwest. We also solicit the collaboration of the populations because it is they who suffer from the exactions of the secessionists,” the Army General said.

The operation codenamed “Bui I” involved a clean-sweep of all the Bui Division within one week. It also involved the mobilisation of more than 400 soldiers under the command of Colonel Charles Alain Matiang, commander of the 51st motorised infantry brigade (BRIM).

Military sources disclosed that the operation was a consequence of several separatist attacks in the division which recently cost the lives of two soldiers.

“It was thus a question for the defence and security forces to carry out a clean-up operation in the area to neutralise the enemy who continues to sow desolation in the division.” a source within the military said.

After the operation which the army described as “a big success”, the military said it was determined to ensure stability in all the Northwest region.

The army has, in the past months, carried out clean-up operations in the Northwest and Southwest regions involved in socio-political and security crises for over four years now.

Despite the overwhelming firepower of the army, the separatists continue to inflict serious losses on the army in certain areas of the two English-speaking regions of the country.