At least 14 children have been killed by armed men in the English-speaking region of Cameroon.
UN’s official, James Nunan, disclosed that the attack happened in Ntumbo, a village in northwestern Cameroon.
Details of the violence emerged on Sunday 16th February, 2020.
Nunan told reporters that an unspecified number of residents were injured, including a pregnant woman. He added that at least 600 villagers have since fled the area.
Rignyu Solange, who comes from Ntumbo, said nine members of her family were killed when security forces searching for separatists burned many houses in the village.
“My sister and her family were killed in their sleep as the military torched houses because they suspected that separatist fighters were hiding in the village. I want the perpetrators of this act to be severely punished,” Solange stated.
The death toll from the attack has risen to 32, Cameroonian activist and human rights lawyer Felix Agbor Nkongho from the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said on Monday.
“The military officers responsible for these heinous crimes must be brought to justice,” he said.
Amnesty says Cameroon soldiers executed women, young girl and a baby
However, Cameroon army spokesman Atonfack Guemo disputed the figures, saying only a woman and four children were killed in the crossfire between security forces and the separatists during the attack.
He said a team of six soldiers engaged the separatist fighters in the area, killing seven of them. He added that the fighting continued into the night and fuel containers hit by gunfire exploded, causing a blaze that spread through homes.
“This caused the death of five persons; a woman and four children, contrary to social media reports,” he said.
