Cameroon Decries Beheading of Government Troops by Suspected Separatists

YAOUNDE, CAMEROON - There has been widespread condemnation in Cameroon of the killing and beheading of government troops and civilians, including an influential cleric, by suspected separatist fighters. Cameroonian officials say June was the bloodiest month of the year, with more than 40 people killed and 70 houses torched.

Cameroon's military says it was involved in at least 30 heavy gun battles with separatists in June. A military spokesman said Anglophone rebels massacred several dozen civilians and tried to blame the military. The statement by Army Captain Cyrille Serge Atonfack Guemo also said three troops were killed and beheaded in Bamali, an English-speaking northwestern village two weeks ago.    Atonfack said on Cameroon state radio, CRTV, that many army vehicles were destroyed but did not give details on how many troops were killed. Local media, such as Vision 4 TV and Canal 2 International, reported that at least 40 troops, separatist fighters and civilians were killed in Cameroon’s English-speaking North-West and South-West Regions in June. Deben Tchoffo, governor of Cameroon's North-West Region, says several civilians including a Muslim cleric were accused of collaborating with the military and beheaded. Tchoffo says many civilians were killed by homemade bombs that are increasingly used by separatist fighters.  He says he has ordered the military to adopt different strategies to respond to new forms of separatist attacks, such as the use of improvised bombs that cause huge casualties among civilians and government troops. He says the military has been deployed to stop fighters. He says village chiefs, the clergy and militias created by civilians should assist the military by sharing information on possible separatist hideouts.