Boko Haram attacks on the rise in Cameroon
The Christian Post Human Rights Watch (HRW) is calling for action as Boko Haram attacks have escalated in northern Cameroon this year, leading to the death of at least eighty civilians and the displacement of thousands since December. Human Rights Watch released a report detailing the rise in violence and killing at the hands of Boko Haram terrorists in Cameroon.
The violence has resulted in a major humanitarian crisis, as 322,000 people have been forced from their homes since 2014 and 12,500 have been forced from their homes since December 2020. The advocacy group calls for the government to take “concrete measures” to protect communities subject to the increasing violence.
Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a U.S. Department of Defense think tank funded by Congress, released a report in November showing a steep spike in terrorism violence in Cameroon and other nearby countries like Chad, Niger and Nigeria.
According to this report, the quantity of Boko Haram attacks on civilians in Cameroon in the previous twelve months was higher than Boko Haram attacks on civilians in Nigeria, Niger and Chad combined.
Cameroon experienced the sharpest spike in violence from 2019 to 2020 and ranks just below Nigeria in the number of violent events. Despite the recent surge in violence, Cameroon’s territorial administration minister claimed in February that Boko Haram is “living in its last days” and the Far North region’s situation is “under control.”
HRW urges the Cameroonian Parliament to hold a hearing to examine the government’s approach to thwarting the rise in terror attacks and provide recommendations on improving civilian protection.
Source: christianpost.com
