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.