Régions anglophones. Situation sécuritaire

The socio-political crisis that began in Cameroon's English-speaking North-West and South-West regions (NOSO) in October 2016 escalated into armed violence at the end of 2017. Several sources have reported a general escalation of violence since 2023.

Direct clashes between armed separatists and Cameroonian forces have intensified, alongside an exponential rise in attacks targeting civilians. The armed separatist groups are increasingly disorganised and competing with each other. They are becoming increasingly disorganised and are competing with each other. Most have abandoned their ideological demands and adopted criminal practices within a multitude of armed groups.

The dynamics of the conflict in the English-speaking regions have changed as the crisis has become more lucrative. Armed groups are expanding their sources of income through kidnapping and extorting the population. Taxes are imposed on economic and social activities as a contribution to the war effort. Failure to pay these taxes to the separatists may result in lethal reprisals against civilians, while paying them may be perceived by government forces as collusion, which may also lead to reprisals.

The line between targeted and politically motivated acts of violence and criminal activity is becoming  increasingly blurred. Both armed groups and government forces are guilty of human rights violations. Armed groups are responsible for kidnapping for ransom, extortion, killings and targeted attacks. Cameroonian forces are accused of conducting punitive operations in the form of raids on villages, torture, looting, extrajudicial executions, and arbitrary arrests and detentions. Gender-based violence is perpetrated by both sides. According to observers, the perpetrators of abuses remain largely unpunished.

The violence disproportionately affects the civilian population, who are now its main victims. The separatists particularly target civilians they suspect of collaborating with government forces and those who refuse to comply with the rules imposed. The defence and security forces carry out reprisals against people suspected of supporting armed combatants. Civilians are also targeted for kidnapping for ransom and extortion, mainly to finance armed groups.

The civilian population is affected daily by the conflict, through forced displacement, loss of livelihoods and difficulties in accessing basic services such as health and education. Going to school remains dangerous for children and teachers. Thousands of children who are out of school are at risk of rights violations by various combatant groups and of being recruited by them. Children have become more vulnerable to early marriage and forced labour. Access to health services, which was already limited in normal times, is further weakened by insecurity: attacks on health infrastructure have caused health personnel to flee; health centres have closed and others are only partially operational. The impact of the conflict on mental health is also significant. Insecurity is plunging the English-speaking regions' economy into crisis, directly disrupting agricultural activities and limiting food supplies. Lockdowns and “ghost town” days continue to be imposed by separatists, disrupting internal movement and economic activities. Travel between different parts of the country is possible, but security conditions are unpredictable due to the risk of attacks and the presence of roadblocks manned by both the armed groups and the security forces. In addition, access to basic public services is significantly hampered by ongoing insecurity.

Violence is largely contained within the English-speaking regions of the country and is more pronounced in the north-west than in the south-west. Separatists are more active in rural, remote and underdeveloped areas. Although the military presence has been reinforced in cities, it is insufficient to prevent security incidents. While major violent incidents are rare in Buea, mass arrests and arbitrary detentions are frequent. In Bamenda, violence continues to plague the city, with explosions, reprisal attacks and kidnappings occurring regularly. Crime is rising in both cities. The fragmentation of separatist armed groups and the spread of banditry have led to sporadic incidents in French-speaking areas bordering the English-speaking regions of Littoral and West.

More than 580,000 people have been forced to move within the two English-speaking regions and to neighbouring French-speaking regions in the West, Littoral and Centre due to insecurity. Most displacement within the English-speaking regions is pendular and temporary, dependent on episodes of violence. Anglophones are also seeking refuge in large numbers in the French-speaking area. In general, the humanitarian situation of displaced persons is precarious. Tensions between displaced persons and host communities are increasing as the crisis continues, as the latter are finding it increasingly difficult to meet their own needs. The authorities do not deliberately discriminate against displaced persons in French-speaking regions. However, Anglophones may experience discrimination, either intentional or unintentional, particularly on the basis of language. Specifically, people without identity documents are at risk of being arrested or extorted during police checks.