Cameroon has seen a disturbing increase in violence as a result of a burgeoning separatist movement in the country’s English-speaking region. In particular, videos have gone viral showing soldiers beheading civilians. The videos, now revealed to have belonged to the Cameroonian military, have been circulating around international media for some time, signaling to the world the growing scale of the conflict.

Recent reports from Amnesty International have documented several human rights violations from both separatist and governmental forces. They, alongside other human rights groups and think tanks, have raised concerns that the violence within the country is reaching dramatic levels and will most likely see a further escalation during presidential elections that are scheduled to be held in October.

These developments bode ill for the country’s future, and through it all the US military continues to support the security services in Cameroon.

Repercussions of Biya’s Crackdown

In the months following declarations of an independent state – the Republic  of Ambazonia – President Biya has taken an extremely hardline approach in order to quash the uprising. It’s a strategy that many African leaders have utilized in the past; however, in the current political climate, where the deposing of long-standing heads of state is becoming more frequent, it appears that Biya’s belligerence is undermining the government’s credibility.

In the eyes of international community, the Biya administration is coaxing a conflict that is beginning to interfere with the joint mission with the U.S to clear out elements of jihadist extremism and Boko Haram remnants in the north. The deterioration of law and order in the Anglophone regions is engendering greater concern amongst Cameroon’s Western allies. Questions are arising over whether Biya’s forces are disciplined enough and whether resources initially intended to combat the insurgency are being diverted to the domestic situation at hand.