Cameroon has acknowledged the army’s role in the killings of civilians -- including children and women in the country's Northwest Region, according to an official report.
The incident occurred in February in Ngarbuh village where the military was accused of killing civilians and burning homes.
The government had earlier denied responsibility for the killings.
Later, President Paul Biya called for a commission of inquiry to shed light on the circumstances under which these tragic events occurred; and to identify the parties involved.
''Following an exchange of gunfire, during which five terrorists were killed, and many weapons seized, the detachment discovered that three women and ten children had died because of the action,'' according to the report that was made public by late Tuesday.
After taking notice of the finding, the president ordered disciplinary proceedings against those involved.
He ordered proceedings against Maj. Nyiagono Ze Charles, commander of the 52nd Motorized Infantry Battalion, arrest of Sergeant Baba Guida, Gendarme Sanding Sanding
Cyrille and Private 1st Class Harana Gilbert as well as the ten members of the vigilante committee involved in the Ngarbuh tragic events.
Biya expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and assured them of his resolve to ensure that justice is done.
The civil society welcomed the report.
In a Twitter post, Felix Agbor Nkongho, director of Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, said the government finally recognizes the responsibility of the military for the “Ngarbuh massacre.”
''We are happy that we have been vindicated,'' Nkongho added.
Cameroon has been marred by protests since 2016, with residents in English-speaking regions saying they have been marginalized for decades by the central government and the French-speaking majority.
Violence in the Anglophone regions has claimed an estimated 3,000 lives and caused the displacement of over 730,000 civilians, according to Human Rights Watch.
Source: www.aa.com.tr
