Published on 29.12.2018 at 16h00 by Journalducameroun

A soldier has been reportedly beheaded in Bamenda, headquarters of the North West region as fresh fighting erupted between security forces as separatist fighters on Friday December 28, sources have said.

Sources said the head of the soldier was abandoned in the middle of the road around the Travellers nighbourhood but denizens could not identify the person nor authors of the crime as people rushed for safety following gunshots.

It later emerged that that soldier beheaded was a certain Ndongue Etienne of the Army Air Force Unit who was on leave. Videos have since emerged online showing suspected Ambazonia separatist fighters beheading the soldier.

The spokesman of the Cameroon army Col. Didier Badject has condemned the killing of the soldier and urged rights groups to speak out against crimes committed by separatist fighters.

“Those who remain silent in the face of such acts are equally guilty of supporting such crimes,” Col. Didier Badjeck said.

The beheading of the soldier was followed by intense gunshots in parts of Bamenda that forced residents to remain indoors for the rest of the day.

All business around Azire new church were forced to close as well as business persons and traders at the Food market as the fighting instensified around hospital roundabout, a resident in Bamenda said.

“I had to trek passing through secondary roads to reach my house after our vehicle was blocked around Travellers,” a resident said.

Another resident said he was trapped at work as roads had been blocked around the Hospital Roundabout neighbourhood.