Amnesty: ‘Horrific’ violence in Cameroon Anglophone regions

DAKAR, Senegal – Citing a graphic video of a beheaded security officer, Amnesty International notes a “horrific escalation of violence” in Cameroon’s English-speaking areas ahead of next month’s presidential election.

The rights group says it has authenticated two videos received last week showing violence by armed separatist group Ambazonia Liberation Forces.

Separatists have been demanding a separate English-speaking state they call Ambazonia and threatening to disrupt the Oct. 7 elections in the largely French-speaking country.

Amnesty International says no one has been spared from the violence that has killed up to 400 civilians. It says more than 260 security incidents have been recorded since the beginning of the year, including clashes between separatists and security forces.

Unrest in Cameroon’s northwest and southwest regions began in late 2016 and has displaced nearly 200,000 people.