Bloody Monday In Kumbo, Bamenda: In Search Of Amba Fighters, Soldiers Kill, Burn And Loot

By NFOR Hanson NCHANJI with field reports

More than 10 persons have been killed in Kumbo and at least 3 in Bamenda, North West region, as soldiers go on a killing spree, in less than 24 hours. They also burned houses and intimidated Doctors and Nurses at the Shisong hospital.

The military used Sunday, February 17, 2019 as an invasion day in Kumbo, headquarter of Bui division. The soldiers carried out arson attacks on houses of civilians around the Tsennkar quarter and around a popular place called Squares.

The men in uniform shot indiscriminately at civilians killing one man called Vernyuy John Paul, a resident has said. The soldiers later went to Shisong where they set several houses around the hospital on fire. Reports have it that they killed at least 2 persons. After exchanges with Separatist fighters, the military suspected they could be treated in the hospital, they stormed the medical facility threatening to arrest Doctors and Nurses treating the boys.

Soldiers on Sunday in the village of Kishoóng, about 7 km North of Kumbo town, laid an ambush in an old church building leading to the killing of at least 2 Ambazonia fighters.

Monday of No Mercy

The Cameroon military got into the Shisong General Hospital early Monday, February 18, 2019 with anger, while some moved around shooting into the air, others moved from ward to ward searching for wounded Ambazonia separatist fighters who are usually treated in this hospital.

They eventually pulled out one man whom they accused of being a fighter and threatened to shoot him. The Reverend Sisters pleaded for several minutes before they let go of this patient.

They threatened to set the hospital on fire accusing the management of the hospital of being accomplice to the armed fighters by hiding and treating them.

After about an hour of tension in the hospital, they left the hospital without any damage. However, they did set a shop on fire at the Sunday market about 250 metres from the hospital. They then moved to the village of Mbuluf where an exchange between them and pro-independence fighters took place. Several houses were set on fire including the Catholic primary school in Mbuluf which had been transformed into a camp by the fighters. At least half a dozen persons were killed.

Soldiers Kill At least 3 in Bamenda

The ghost town observed in the two English speaking regions did not prevent Soldiers from attacking civilians found on streets. Four boys were shot by Soldier at NITOP, a neighborhood in Bamenda.

The trigger-happy soldiers were in a Taxi, according to eye witness accounts. They opened fire as soon as they spotted the boys playing football. Two of the boys died while two were rushed to the Bamenda regional hospital.

Elsewhere in Mile 90 still in Bamenda, Soldiers drove a Taxi, packed around a vicinity before pulling Fru Tsi Angwafor, grandson of Fon Angwafor III of Mankon, out of his house and shot at him five times.

He was rushed to the hospital and later flown to Yaoundé. A witness has told CNA that the decision to fly him to Yaoundé came from the Presidency. Fon Angwafor III of Mankon is the First National Vice President of the ruling CPDM party.