| Al Qaeda Squad of Meme | |
|---|---|
 Flag of Al-Qaeda, Commonly used by Islamist groups. | |
| Leaders | |
| Dates of operation | Unknown – present |
| Allegiance | Ambazonia |
| Ideology | Ambazonian nationalism |
| Part of |  Ambazonia |
| Opponents |  Cameroon |
| Battles and wars | Anglophone Crisis |
The Al Qaeda Squad of Meme (AQSM) are a militant terrorist organization that is active in the region of Ambazonia, a self-declared independent state in the Anglophone regions of the former Southern Cameroons, Cameroon.
Since 2017, the Northwest Region and Southwest Region of Cameroon are the site of a civil war known as the "Anglophone Crisis" between the Cameroonian government and Ambazonian separatists. Meme department in the Southwest Region became one of the insurgency's centers, with various rebel leaders and militias operating in the area. [3] [4] Over time, Ambazonian insurgents increasingly resorted to violent crime, including kidnappings for ransom, to fund their operations. Attacks on civilians also increased. [5]
One of the separatist militias in Meme department fell under the leadership of Ndiba Lenya Clifford who adopted the pseudonyms "General Lucifer" [6] and "Field Marshall Lucifer". [7] Such self-proclaimed titles and pseudonyms are typical for Ambazonian rebel commanders, used to evoke respect and fear. [8] He dubbed his militia the "Al-Qaeda Squad of Meme". [7] The Cameroonian security forces actively sought to eliminate Clifford. In June and July 2023, raids aimed at killing or capturing him; he was wounded in one clash, but escaped alive. However, an associate named "Commander Yong Money" was killed at Mbonge during these operations. [9] [10]
By mid-2024, Clifford's militia became more audacious in its operations. On 8 May, the group attacked a military outpost at Bomana, causing the local security forces to flee. Afterward, the rebels burned the outpost to the ground and released a taunting video in which Clifford (under the alias "Field Marshall Lucifer") mocked the government forces and challenged them to fight him. [11] Later that month, the militia kidnapped 28 people from a church in Bai Panya, claiming that these civilians had cooperated with the Cameroonian government by obtaining identity cards and birth certificates to vote in the next Cameroonian elections. According to Mimi Mefo Info, the "Southwest Region remain[ed] in shock" after this mass kidnapping, especially as Clifford indirectly threatened to kill the victims. [7] The separatist reportedly also imposed taxes on local cocoa traders, harassing or even killing those who did not pay. According to The Guardian Post and Actu Cameroun, Clifford and his "Al-Qaeda Squad" were increasingly perceived by Meme natives as oppressive and disruptive group, causing the civilians to ask for help from the security forces. [6] [12]