Cameroon president vows to end secessionist attacks in Anglophone region

Cameroon President Paul Biya has described separatists in the country’s restive Anglophone region as criminals and has vowed to halt their deadly attacks on the central African country.

His comments carried on national radio comes on the back of a new attack that killed two policemen in the region. Earlier in the week, four soldiers had been killed.

Overall, the number of security officials lost to the separatists attacks is ten. According to the president the signs are clear now as to what the separatists are intent on doing but that the country will put a stop to their activities.

“I learned with emotion of the murder of four Cameroonian soldiers and two policemen in the south-west of our country. I think that things are now clear to everyone. Cameroon is the victim of repeated attacks by a band of terrorists claiming to be part of a secessionist movement.

“Faced with these attacks of aggression, I assure the Cameroonian people that all measures are being taken to end these criminals’ ability to do harm.”

Anti-government sentiments in the two regions – northwest and southwest – started as protests decrying marginalization by the French-majority. The attacks of state security elements is a new phase of the struggle by separatists.

An attempt on October 1 to declare a symbolic independence of the regions under the Ambazonia republic name was clamped down upon by security forces.

It led to official deaths of eight persons even though Amnesty International put it at 17. Scores of people were injured whiles mass arrests were also effected. The government last month issued an international arrest warrant for a number of separatist leaders.