Gunmen Kill 10 in Northwest Cameroon

Image copyright: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

  • At least ten people were killed and two injured during a terrorist attack at a busy junction in the city of Bamenda in northwest Cameroon on Sunday evening.

  • According to eyewitnesses, gunmen in military uniforms arrived in two vehicles at Nacho Junction, ordered people onto the floor, and accused the civilians of failing to back local separatists before opening fire.

  • Adolphe Lele Lafrique, the governor of the North West region, said that a manhunt had been launched to capture the attackers while "investigations are on."

The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

There's no evidence the gunmen dressed in military uniforms belonged to Anglophone areas. Even if they were separatists, the government is just as responsible for this tragic set of circumstances, as it uses force against people who suffer political marginalization and lack the recognition of their cultural identity in Cameroon.

Pro-establishment narrative

Sunday's massacre was a terrorist attack intended to incite fear among civilians who cooperate with the military by reporting suspected separatists. This is part of a coordinated campaign against the government and must be dealt with severely.

Establishment split

CRITICAL

PRO

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