Anglophone Crisis: Army announces death of 14 armed separatists amid allegations of killings

Actu 24May 2, 2026Read original

The Cameroonian Ministry of Defense claims to have killed 14 alleged members of an armed separatist group during an operation conducted on April 26, 2026, in the North-West region, according to a statement released on April 30.

According to military authorities, those killed are composed of“11 male terrorists”and“3 female terrorists”, presented as logistics officers operating“under the orders of the pseudo 'Général Capo'”. The army adds that several other fighters are on the run and being searched for.

The operation took place in Dzerem Nyam, in the district of Jakiri, Bui department. According to the statement, two injured people were also arrested: a 16-year-old boy presented as a fugitive, and a woman described as a logistician and companion of the“Général Capo”.The army claims that she was responsible for transporting the group's weapons, concealed in bags of fresh food.

The report released by the Ministry of Defense also mentions the seizure of 12 improvised explosive devices, various military effects, and 38 motorcycles. According to the army, these motorcycles were used to transport members of the armed group to the site of the operation.

Through this communication, the military authorities seek to present the intervention of Dzerem Nyam as a targeted operation against a separatist group active in this area of the North-West.

This official statement comes in a context of controversy. In the days following the operation, publications on social media accused the Defence and Security Forces of carrying out a deadly intervention in Jakiri, during a festival, and of killing civilians who came to attend this cultural event.

These accusations circulated even as the command of the 5th Joint Military Region, based in Bamenda, had already publicly presented the results of the operation conducted in Dzerem Nyam.

The statement published on April 30 by the Ministry of Defense thus appears as a direct response to these allegations. The army maintains its version of the facts and implicitly rejects the idea of an attack targeting civilians during a cultural event.