Gunmen in Cameroon’s North West region killed a local mayor and two others on Monday during National Day celebrations, according to regional governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique.
This marks the second attack on government officials in two weeks.
Mayor Ngong Innocent Ankiambom of Belo, his deputy mayor, and an inspector of basic education were fatally shot while en route to the festivities.
Governor Lafrique urged the public to remain calm and announced that a manhunt is underway to apprehend the perpetrators.
The attack occurred along a 200-metre stretch between the town council office and the Belo municipal grandstand, where celebrations were scheduled. Another similar attack was reported in the nearby town of Njinkom, though casualty details are unclear due to communication issues.
Earlier, on May 10, separatist fighters ambushed and killed a gendarmerie commander and four of his men in the South West region.
These separatist groups often escalate attacks around National Day, which commemorates the end of the federal system in Cameroon. This year, they declared a three-day lockdown to restrict movement ahead of the event.
No armed group has claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack. Since 2017, over 6,000 people have been killed in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions due to ongoing conflict following violent suppression of protests.
