9 soldiers, 4 separatist fighters killed in clashes in Cameroon's restive Anglophone region

YAOUNDE, Sept. 14 : At least nine soldiers and four separatist fighters were killed in weekend clashes in Cameroon's Anglophone region of Northwest that has been ravaged by a four-year armed separatist conflict, security and local sources told Xinhua on Monday.

Seven soldiers were killed and four others seriously injured on Sunday when separatist fighters detonated a roadside improvised explosive device in Kikaikilaki, a locality in the region, an army official who asked not to be named told Xinhua.

The soldiers were transporting corpses of two other soldiers who were ambushed and killed on Saturday while they were patrolling the Chounghi village in the region, the official said.

Early Monday, the army displayed corpses of four armed separatist fighters on the street of Bamenda, chief town of the region whom they said were killed in overnight clashes in the town. A civilian was also killed in the clashes, according to the army. There were no reports of casualties on the part of government forces.

There have been renewed clashes in the region over the past one week after separatist fighters threatened to disrupt schools, according to security reports.

Since 2017, government forces have been clashing with separatist fighters in the Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest of the Central African nation where separatists want to create an independent nation they call "Ambazonia".