BLOODSHED IN CAMEROON’S ANGLOPHONE REGION: DEFENSE AND SECURITY FORCES ACCUSED ONCE AGAIN OF KILLING SIX (6) UNARMED CIVILIANS IN SANTA SUBDIVISION.WE WISH TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS FOLLOWS;

1. That according to reliable sources, at least six unarmed civilians were brutally assassinated, and others injured, on the night of Sunday, February 23, 2025 allegedly by members of Cameroon’s Defense and Security forces, who attacked a drinking spot in the Kungfune neighborhood of the Pinyin clan, located in the Santa Subdivision, Mezam Division, North West Region of Cameroon.
2. That our sources further indicated that the victims were socializing at the local drinking spot before the tragic incident occurred. An eyewitness says « We heard gunshots shortly after security forces drove past the Maben neighborhood to Kungfune. A few minutes later, we started hearing serious cries from the population, and upon rushing there, we saw the corpses of six young men lying down, and some injured ones were immediately taken to the local Health Center. »
3. That as of the time of this report, there has been no official reaction from the local administrative authority. It should be noted that prior to this incident, the corpse of a popular driver called Mopecha Foncha Teneng alias Grand Forme was found lying on the roadside in the same locality on Sunday, February 23, 2025, with apparent bullet wounds. According to local residents, he was allegedly kidnapped and later killed by alleged Armed Separatists.The lifeless body of an unidentified person was also found in the early hours of Monday, February 24, 2025 at Rendez-vous quarter, Bamenda, North West region.
4. That in addition at least two (2) persons suspected of being members of the Armed Separatists group were killed by the population of Menka, Pinyin, still in the Santa Subdivision last week. Moreover, the copse of another alleged Armed Separatist arrested in same locality and taken for detention by the Security forces was later found few days later with traces of bullet wounds. The armed conflict in some parts of the Anglophone regions of Cameroon continues to escalate, with systematic grievous violations and abuses of Human Rights and International Humanitarian law, including murders, kidnappings, arrests, and arbitrary detentions, committed by the conflicting parties.
   That in view of the above, Conscience Africaine;
5. Condemns the gruesome murders of at least Six (6) unarmed persons and injuring of others in the Santa Subdivision allegedly by members of the Cameroon Defense and Security forces, while calling for an immediate and independent investigation to ensure perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted.
6. Calls for an end to impunity in conflict Anglophone regions, where perpetrators of serious human rights violations and abuses move freely, and even the few cases of investigations often opened by authority seem to be in attempt to shield perpetrators of their crimes.
7. Reminds the Government of Command Responsibility for Senior Officials of the Cameroonian authority who fail to prosecute serious crimes Committed by their subordinates, that they shall be held accountable under International Law based on the Principles of Command Responsibility enshrined in Article 28 of the 1998 Rome Statute creating the International Criminal Court.
8. Solicits international community involvement to persuade the Yaounde regime to engage in inclusive and sincere dialogue with different stakeholders to address the root causes of the armed conflict.
   Douala, this Monday, February 25, 2025
   Signed

Amadu TARNTEH
Executive Director