Cameroonian military army said Thursday gunmen believed to be separatist fighters fled from a bush in Cameroon’s English-speaking region Wednesday, leaving behind 19 hostages unharmed after a battle with government troops.
“The enemy made a quick withdrawal, leaving behind 19 hostages among them aged women and men,” the army said.
There was no word of casualties in the incident at Idenau locality of the Southwest region, where the 19 workers of Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), a state-run plantation, were abducted three days ago.
The army published photos of the freed hostages who were safely transported to a military base in the locality and reunited with their families after the release.
Separatist fighters who want to create a breakaway state in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest have since 2018 carried out numerous attacks on plantations and their workers in a bid to cut off its revenue and paralyze works, according to security reports. Enditem
