4 gendarmes killed in southwestern Cameroon

By Felix Nkambeh Tih

ANKARA (AA) - At least four Cameroonian gendarmes have been killed in an attack on their post in southwestern region in Cameroon, an administrative official said on late Monday.

"An attack has unfortunately cost the lives of four of our gendarmes on Monday in Kembong village," Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a government spokesman, told reporters.

"President Paul Biya salutes the memory of those brave soldiers fallen in field of honor," Bakary said.

Local media reported that there has been fierce fighting between security forces and separatists in the region in recent weeks. Many civilians have also been injured in the skirmishes.

At least 40,000 have fled the region and crossed into Nigeria, according to UN Refugee Agency.

Attacks against military personnel are rampant in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon’s English speaking regions.

The two regions have lived in a state of unrest since Oct. 2016, witnessing strikes and demonstrations, denouncing discrimination against the Anglophone minority in favor of the Francophone majority.

Violence left dozens of protesters dead and over 100 injured last month after tens of thousands of people began a peaceful march to proclaim the independence of Western Cameroon, also known as Ambazonia, according to the International Crisis Group.

French Cameroon gained its independence from France in 1960. In 1961, a federal state was set up when British Cameroon gained its independence from Great Britain and joined French Cameroon. The federal state was later dissolved in favor of a unitary state in 1972.

Since then, English-speakers say they are being marginalized, forced to use French in public institutions and schools and use the French-Cameroon legal system in courts.