France has condemned a series of attacks in Fako (Southwest) and Mayo-Tsanaga (Far North) that left at least 11 people dead last weekend.
"We extend our condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, both civilian and military, who lost their lives in the attacks that took place over the weekend of September 5-7 in the Fako and Mayo-Tsanaga departments," the French embassy in Cameroon said in a message posted Monday, September 8, 2025, on its Facebook and X pages. "We strongly condemn these attacks and reaffirm our solidarity with the Cameroonian people."
The statement comes just days after Sylvain Riquier officially began his duties as France's new ambassador to Cameroon on September 1.
On Friday, September 5, a military vehicle carrying soldiers hit an improvised explosive device planted by separatist fighters in the Meme department of the Southwest region. The blast occurred near the village of Malende, close to Muyuka. Local sources report an unofficial death toll of at least seven soldiers. Hours later, the Fako Unity Warriors, a separatist armed group active in the area, claimed responsibility for the attack.
On the night of Saturday, September 6, at least four people were killed and several others seriously injured in the villages of Mandoussa and Modoko, in the Mayo-Tsanaga department. The attackers were suspected of being affiliated with Boko Haram, according to the Xinhua news agency. Kidnappings were also reported. The newspaper L'Œil du Sahel reported a slightly different toll, citing at least five deaths and 11 injuries.
Persistent Crises
The Southwest region, along with the Northwest, has been grappling with an Anglophone crisis since 2016. The conflict has since escalated into an armed struggle between separatist groups and the Cameroonian army. According to the International Crisis Group, the conflict has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced thousands.
In the Far North, Boko Haram attacks persist. The Cameroonian army has been engaged in an asymmetrical war against the jihadist factions of the terrorist group since 2014. Since then, Boko Haram has killed an estimated 3,000 civilians and soldiers, abducted more than 1,000 people, and displaced approximately 250,000 residents, according to January 2022 estimates from the International Crisis Group.
Patricia Ngo Ngouem