YAOUNDE, Sept. 7 — Armed separatists are enforcing a weeklong lockdown in Cameroon’s conflict-hit English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions, leading to renewed clashes, residents and security sources said.
Separatist leaders announced on social media that the lockdown, which began Monday, aims to disrupt the start of the new school year. In Bamenda, the capital of the Northwest Region, residents described a tense atmosphere, with schools closed and movement severely restricted.
“We heard gunshots. People are really afraid. The streets are deserted. Shops are closed, and almost all activities have stopped,” a resident, who requested anonymity, told Xinhua by phone.
In a video posted online Sunday, armed separatist fighters threatened to “kill anyone who attempts to step out” during the lockdown period. Security officials said additional troops had been deployed to both regions to conduct day and night patrols.
On Sunday, regional authorities assured residents that security had been tightened and urged them to continue their daily activities. The Northwest and Southwest regions have seen armed conflict since 2017, when separatists began fighting government forces to establish an independent state.(Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
