Reports say Cameroon’s armed forces have regained control of the strategic highway which links the towns of Kumba and Mamfe in its South West Region.
On Friday, May 6th, 2022, videos of separatist fighters parading a portion of the road made it to social media. In the clips, they were seen barricading the road and threatening to deal with anyone who attempted to undo their actions.
As of Saturday morning however, some road users said the stretch was passable again, though they remain scared for their safety.
The road was reopened following gunfire exchange between the separatist fighters and Cameroon’s armed forces the previous night. The gun battle was one of many along the Kumba-Mamfe road which has often been blocked by separatist fighters since the origin of the armed conflict.
The conflict became a full fledged armed struggle in 2017 when separatists took up arms in a bid to take control of the English speaking North West and South West Regions.
Thousands have since been killed and many millions affected and displaced.