Cameroon: Boko Haram Stepping Up Attacks
| Publisher | Jamestown Foundation |
| Author | Alexander Sehmer |
| Publication Date | 28 July 2017 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 15 |
| Cite as | Jamestown Foundation, Cameroon: Boko Haram Stepping Up Attacks, 28 July 2017, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 15, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/597f34994.html [accessed 29 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Link to original story on Jamestown website
Two suicide bombers killed at least 14 people and wounded another 30 in northeast Cameroon on July 12 in an attack on a bustling market town near the Nigerian border (Cameroon-Info, July 14). The attack in Waza, attributed to Boko Haram, is the latest in what appears to be a resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in Cameroon's Far North region and elsewhere (Kmer SAGA, July 13).
After a dip in Boko Haram violence in the region, militants appear to be stepping up operations. Just a few days ahead of the Waza attack, members of Cameroon's Rapid Intervention Brigade (BIR) intercepted a group of suspected Boko Haram fighters - made up of four men and eight women - near Amichde, also near the Nigerian border (Kmer SAGA, July 11). Two of the alleged fighters were killed while the others escaped.
Cameroon's Far North region saw 18 suicide bombings in June, according to the International Crisis Group. There were also numerous clashes with BIR solders and members of local "vigilance committees," the vigilante groups Cameroon encourages as a form of local police.
Across the border, Nigeria has seen a similar increase in attacks after a period of relative quiet. A Boko Haram suicide attack killed at least 12 people and wounded another 18 on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital (Daily Post, July 17). The attack, reportedly carried out by two female suicide bombers, follows a wave of similar suicide attacks carried out in the same area (Sahara Reporters, June 19). The Nigerian army is now under orders to capture Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau "dead or alive" within the next 40 days (Premium Times, July 22).
In Cameroon, the military is conducting a similarly tough campaign, one that has received criticism in a recent report by Amnesty International, which accused Cameroon of torturing citizens suspected of supporting Boko Haram (al-Jazeera, July 20)
Analysts have warned that Cameroon, Nigeria and others in the region that are fighting against Boko Haram must develop a more comprehensive strategy that will take the fight to the extremists while at the same time hold the security forces accountable and resist the harsh treatment of local communities. Without that, it is argued, Boko Haram cannot be permanently defeated. The recent attacks may be evidence of this.
If officials are considering a more nuanced strategy, it is unclear. Certainly the rhetoric remains unchanged. Cameroonian officials met with their counterparts from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Benin, in the capital Yaoundé this month to discuss the regional security and humanitarian situation. Few details of the meeting were released, but Cameroon's defense minister, Joseph Beti Assomo, described it only as bringing the neighbors closer to the goal of "complete eradication of Boko Haram" (Kmer SAGA, July 9).
