Soldiers Charged With Killing Nine Civilians In Cameroon

Chukwuebuka Festus

The army in Cameroon has confirmed that soldiers have killed nine civilians, including an 18-month-old girl.

An army spokesman said a group of soldiers opened fire when they encountered hostile villagers in Missong, in the country’s North-West region, earlier this month.

The spokesman described the use of weapons as “inappropriate and manifestly disproportionate”.

Cameroon’s ministry of defence says four soldiers have been arrested following the shooting.

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An investigation has been launched into the killings.

In the same region two years ago, 21 civilians including 13 children and a pregnant woman were killed by Cameroonian soldiers in the village of Ngarbuh.

Two soldiers and a gendarme were later charged with murder, arson, destruction, violence against a pregnant woman and disobeying orders.

But human rights organisations denounced a slow, unfair trial and the absence of the top army officials among the accused persons.

Source: BBC

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