Cameroon: Clashes leave several separatist fighters dead

(MENAFN) Recent confrontations in the troubled English-speaking Northwest region of Cameroon have resulted in the deaths of at least nine separatist fighters, according to local security sources.

An army official, who requested anonymity, stated that four separatists were killed on Saturday while attempting to assault a military outpost. The army successfully thwarted the attack, with several other fighters reportedly sustaining injuries.

Additionally, the official revealed that security forces ambushed a group of separatists on Friday, leading to the deaths of five fighters.

Separatist leaders have acknowledged the casualties on social media, confirming that a commander was among those killed by military forces. They have pledged to seek revenge for these losses.

Local police reports indicate that the Cameroonian army has escalated its offensive against separatists in the Northwest region since January, carrying out raids and dismantling numerous separatist hideouts.

The conflict in Cameroon's English-speaking areas began in 2017, as government forces engaged with armed separatist groups aiming to secede the Northwest and Southwest regions from the largely French-speaking country to form an independent state known as "Ambazonia."

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