Africa-Press. Calls from civil society organizations in Cameroon are escalating for an official clarification regarding the circumstances surrounding the deaths of at least 15 civilians on April 26 in a village in the Boyo division of the English-speaking Northwest region, amid the absence of any statement from local or government authorities more than three days after the incident.
According to field reports, the operation took place between 3 and 4 a.m. on the night of April 25 to 26, 2026, in the village of Ndzirim Nyam, which is part of the Jakiri municipality. It is believed that the perpetrators were members of the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR), a unit of the Cameroonian defense and security forces.
Radio France Internationale reported that the operation targeted a location where members of an active separatist group were present, alongside local residents.
The nature of what occurred remains unclear, with questions about whether there was an exchange of gunfire or direct clashes. While initial reports indicated the death of 14 civilians, the toll later rose to at least 15 fatalities, including women, with several individuals still missing. Reports also mentioned the burning of over 30 motorcycles and several homes during the operation.
Cyril Roland Bichon, the executive director of the New Human Rights organization, urged the Cameroonian authorities to provide an urgent clarification regarding the incident, emphasizing that such events are tragically recurring, leaving victims and their families without answers or justice. He noted that his organization continues to gather information in preparation for holding the relevant parties accountable.
Amadou Tarenté, from the African Conscience organization, stressed that all parties involved in the conflict, whether government forces or armed groups, have repeatedly committed violations against civilians since the outbreak of the conflict, disregarding the principles of distinction and proportionality that are supposed to protect civilian populations during military operations.
This incident comes less than two weeks after the Moyouka incident in the Southwest region, where separatists attacked a bar and set it on fire, resulting in the deaths of at least six people, in addition to civilians who perished in the fire inside the establishment, according to local sources.
