Cameroon: Separatists kidnap at least seven traditional leaders near Buéa July 18 /update 1

Event

Anglophone separatists kidnapped at least seven traditional leaders in and near Buéa (Southwest region) on Wednesday, July 18, whom they accuse of collaborating with the government and advocating for participation in the October 7 presidential election. The group has called on anglophones to boycott the election and demanded the release of separatist leader Ayuk Tabe Julius along with 46 other alleged separatists who were arrested in January. Clashes between the separatists and security forces have become increasingly violent in recent months and additional fighting is expected to continue in the near-term.

Context

Tensions between the country's minority English-speaking community and the national authorities in the Northwest and Southwest regions remain high. The period since November 2016 has been marked by the closure of all English-speaking schools, strikes, unrest, and sporadic violence. These tensions have escalated considerably since October 2017, when secessionists unilaterally proclaimed independence in the region. The fighting has forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee over the border into Nigeria.

Advice

Individuals in Cameroon are advised to remain aware of the threat of kidnapping, report all suspicious objects and behavior to the relevant authorities, and take adequate precautionary measures.

Due to ongoing sociopolitical violence, individuals in the Northwest and Southwest regions are advised to closely monitor the situation, obey all instructions issued by the local authorities (particularly curfews), and avoid protests or large gatherings due to the risk of associated violence. On a separate note, some Western governments advise against travel to the Far North region as well as other areas bordering Nigeria, Chad, and the Central African Republic (CAR); travel to these areas should only be considered with appropriate security protocols in place.