Rebel attacks kill 15 soldiers, civilians in western Cameroon

Gov’t says armed ‘terrorists’ ambushed a convoy of elite rapid intervention forces in the northwest region.

Fifteen soldiers and several civilians have died in two attacks in English-speaking western areas of Cameroon in the grip of a breakaway campaign, the defence ministry said.

Heavily armed “terrorists” ambushed a convoy of elite rapid intervention forces at Bamessing in the Northwest Region on September 16, the ministry statement said on Monday.

“Using IED (improvised explosive devices) and an anti-tank rocket launcher, the insurgents immobilised the vehicles [in the convoy] before opening heavy fire on the latter,” it added.