Timeline of the Anglophone Crisis (2017)

This is a timeline of the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon during 2017.

The Anglophone Crisis is an ongoing armed conflict in the Republic of Cameroon in Central Africa, where historically English-speaking Ambazonian separatists are seeking the independence of the former British trust territory of Southern Cameroons, which was unified with Cameroon since 1961.

September

• On September 9, the Ambazonia Defence Council (ADC) declared the deployment of the Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF) and the launching of combat operations to achieve the independence of Ambazonia. The ADF carried out a guerilla attack against military base in Besongabang, Manyu Division. The ADF commander in charge claimed his soldiers managed to return to base unreduced. Three Cameroonian soldiers were killed in the attack. ^[1]
• On September 11, a bomb targeting security forces was detonated in the city of Bamenda. ^[2] ADF claimed responsibility for the attack. ^[1]
• On September 21, an improvised bomb wounded three police officers in Bamenda. Separatists were blamed for the attack, which the governor described as an act of terrorism. ^[3]
• On September 22, Cameroonian troops opened fire against Anglophone protestors. According to eyewitnesses, five people were shot dead and many more were injured. ^[4] In Ekok, 700 protesters attacked police stations and hosted the Ambazonian flag in public spaces. ^[5]
• On September 29, Cameroonian soldiers moved into Eyumodjock, and took over a farm belonging to separatist leader Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe. ^[6]
• Throughout September, seven schools were burned. ^[7]

October

• On October 1, Ambazonia unilaterally declared its independence, and the Cameroonian Army moved into the region in force to fight the separatists. ^[8] Tens of thousands of people protested in the streets in favor of independence. ^[9] At least eight people died in clashes between police and demonstrators in Buea and Bamenda. In total, 20 demonstrators were killed by security forces that day. ^[10] The separatists strategically choose this date for mass demonstrations, as it is the anniversary for the unification of Cameroon and Southern Cameroons. ^[11]
• On October 2, a mentally disabled man was beaten to unconsciousness by soldiers in Kumbo. ^[7]
• On October 9, the Cameroonian military claimed to have stopped "hundreds of Nigerian fighters" from entering Southern Cameroons to join the struggle. ^[12]
• On October 17, hundreds of young people set fire to the Catholic Primary School in Menji, Lebialem. ^[7]

November

• On November 8, the ADF killed two or three Cameroonian gendarmes in Bamenda. ^[13] The ADF claimed responsibility for the attacks, ^[14] which were condemned by the Interim Government of Ambazonia, which had not yet endorsed an armed struggle. ^[15]
• On November 9, Cameroon issued international arrest warrants for 15 separatist leaders, including President Sisiku Ayuk Tabe. ^[16] Two Cameroonian soldiers were killed by separatists in two attacks the following night. ^[17]
• On November 14, there were four bombings in Bamenda, none of which caused any casualties. ^[14]
• On November 19, unidentified gunmen killed a policeman in Bamenda. ^[14]
• On November 24, parts of the Government Bilingual High School in Menji was burned down. ^[7]
• On November 29, separatists attacked a military convoy in Mamfe, ^[18] killing two soldiers and two policemen. ^[19] One soldier escaped with wounds. The separatist fighters seized a large amount of weapons before taking off. ^[20]
• On November 30, separatists fighters killed five policemen and a soldier in Eyumodjock. The attackers claimed to be loyal to SCACUF, a separatist movement in exile. ^[20]
• Throughout November, eight soldiers, at least 14 civilians and five fugitives were confirmed killed due to the conflict. ^[18] Based on the combined figures from news reports, the real number of deaths was clearly higher.

December

• On December 1, ahead of a planned Cameroonian offensive, authorities in the Manyu Department ordered people from 16 villages to evacuate, saying that anyone defying those orders will be treated as separatists. ^[21]
• On December 4, the Cameroonian government officially declared war on "these terrorists who seek secession", referring to the ADF. ^[19]
• On December 7, Cameroonian forces retook the villages of Bafia and Muyenge. ^[22]
• On December 9, an attack on a military post near Mamfe left six separatists and one Cameroonian police officer dead. The Cameroonian government claimed that 200 guerillas took part in the attack, using guns, spears and machetes. ^[23]
• On December 13, 23 people, including minors, were arrested by security forces in Dadi and subsequently subjected to severe torture. One of those arrested would later die in jail. ^[10]
• On December 14, an elite army unit started an operation to retake villages that were controlled by the separatists. ^[24] In the village of Bodam, soldiers fired indiscriminately at fleeing civilians, and executed one elderly man who tried to defend himself with a cane. Several houses were burned during the attack. Most of the villagers fled to Nigeria. ^[7]
• On December 15, days of heavy fighting in Mamfe came to an end. Both sides claimed victory, with the Cameroonian Army claiming to have retaken Mamfe from the ADF, while the ADF claimed it had never occupied Mamfe to begin with. ^[25]
• On December 18, four gendarmes were killed by separatists in Kembong. ^[26]
• On December 20, Nigerian sources claimed Cameroonian soldiers crossed the border into Nigeria in pursuit of separatist fighters. While the governments of both Nigeria and Cameroon denied that any such incidents had taken place, Cameroonian military officials had previously accused Nigeria of sheltering separatists. ^[26]
• Between December 18–23, Cameroonian troops destroyed dozens of houses and killed, beat and arrested several civilians in Kembong and Babong, Manyu Department, in retaliation for the killing of security forces. ^[24]
• On December 25, two gendarmes and a Brigade Commander were wounded in Toko, Ndian Division. The residence of the Civil Administrator of Toko was also burned down. ^[27]
• At some point in December, soldiers from the Rapid Intervention Battalion allegedly fired indiscriminately at villagers in Kajifu, killing at least three people. ^[7]

References

1. Explosions in Bamenda and Killings in Besongabang Military Base, ADF Claims Responsibility ^{[ usurped ]}, Cameroon Journal, Sept 13, 2017. Accessed Apr 19, 2018.
2. The crisis in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions has turned violent with bombings, Quartz, Sept 22, 2017. Accessed Apr 19, 2018.
3. Suspected separatist bomb wounds 3 police in Cameroon's Anglophone region, Reuters, Sept 21, 2017. Accessed Apr 19, 2018.
4. "Cameroon is on edge after security forces opened fire on Anglophone protesters". Quartz Africa. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
5. Cameroon Tries to Quash Independence Movement in English Regions, Voice of America, Sep 29, 2017. Accessed Dec 18, 2019.
6. Profile: Meet The Man, Sisiku Julius Ayuktabe, The Ambazonian Revolutionary Leader, Cameroon News Agency, Jan 21, 2019. Accessed Feb 1, 2019.
7. Cameroon-unfolding catastrophe’ evidence of human rights violations and crimes against humanity Archived 2019-10-05 at the Wayback Machine , Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA), Jun 3, 2019.
8. Cameroon Anglophone crisis: Major incidents over a deadly year (1), AfricaNews, Oct 1, 2018. Accessed Oct 2, 2018.
9. "CrisisWatch October 2017". International Crisis Group. October 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
10. A turn for the worse: Violence and human rights violations in Anglophone Cameroon, Amnesty International, Jun 1, 2018.
11. "Several killed in Cameroon as anglophones declare 'independent Ambazonia'". Euractiv. 2 October 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
12. Cameroonian troops deploy heavily along Nigeria border, DW, Oct 9, 2017. Accessed Apr 20, 2018.
13. Cameroon separatists kill at least two gendarmes as Anglophone dispute escalates, Reuters, Nov 8, 2017. Accessed Apr 20, 2018.
14. "CrisisWatch November 2017". International Crisis Group. November 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
15. ‘Ambazonia’ Interim “President” Condemns Violence Amid Claims By ADF of Masterminding Gendarme Killing, Nov 9, 2017. Accessed Nov 11, 2019.
16. Cameroon issues arrest warrants for Anglophone separatist party leaders, African Independent, Nov 9, 2017. Accessed Apr 21, 2018.
17. Cameroon separatist attacks kill four security forces: government, Reuters, Nov 11, 2017. Accessed Apr 21, 2018.
18. "Four Cameroon soldiers killed in restive Anglophone region". Daily Nation. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
19. Cameroon government ‘declares war’ on secessionist rebels, Irin, Dec 4, 2017. Accessed Apr 21, 2018.
20. Five Police, Five Soldiers Killed in Cameroon Violence, Voice of America, Nov 30, 2017. Accessed Nov 17, 2019.
21. Cameroon govt forces accused of murder, rape, Eyewitness News. Accessed Aug 25, 2018.
22. Cameroon's Military Moves In on Separatist-held Villages, Voice of America, Dec 7, 2017. Accessed Apr 21, 2018.
23. Separatists Attack Cameroon Police, Voice of America, Dec 9, 2017. Accessed Apr 21, 2018.
24. Anglophone Crisis – Seven military personnel murdered in December – ICG says Archived 2018-07-04 at the Wayback Machine , Cameroon Concord, Jan 6, 2018. Accessed Aug 25, 2018.
25. After Days of Sporadic Gun Shots In Mamfe: Relative Calm Returns, Massive Exodus, Cameroon News Agency, December 15, 2017. Accessed Nov 24, 2018.
26. Cameroonian troops entered Nigeria without seeking authorization, sources in Nigeria say, Reuters, Dec 20, 2017. Accessed Apr 21, 2018.
27. Update Christmas Day Shooting In Ndian : Toko Brigade Commander, Others Hospitalized, Cameroon News Agency, Dec 26, 2017. Accessed Apr 7, 2019.