YAOUNDÉ, Nov 6 (Reuters – Gunmen opened fire in a town in western Cameroon, killing at least 20 people, the local government said on Monday.
The attackers operated before sunrise, while the victims were still sleeping, before setting fire to houses in the town of Mamfe, in the department of Manyu located in southwest Cameroon, less than 50 km away from the border with Nigeria.
Seven people were also admitted to hospital while security forces examined the surrounding area, leader Viang Mekala told Reuters.
“The situation is under control and the population should not panic,” he said.
Cameroon is facing an insurgency led by English-speaking separatists who have been fighting since 2017 to have an independent country called Ambazonia recognized.
Armed groups have carried out attacks, kidnappings and killings in the French-speaking northwest and southwest of the country.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for these attacks. (Reporting Amindeh Blaise Atabong, French version Zhifan Liu, editing by Kate Entringer)
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