Operation Bamenda Clean is an ongoing Cameroonian special counter-insurgency operation in Bamenda, Northwest Region, aimed at preventing armed Ambazonian separatists from operating in the city.Cameroon/Bamenda clean operation: Bar Council wants soldiers’ ‘abuses’ probed, Journal du Cameroun, 25 September 2020. Accessed 26 September 2020. By January 2021, Cameroon was gradually achieving what a security analyst at the University of Yaoundé called "relative peace" in Bamenda,Cameroonians Displaced by Crisis Return on New Year, Voice of America, 2 January 2021. Accessed 3 January 2021. and the mayor of the city stated that the operation was succeeding. However, as of March 2021, separatist-imposed ghost towns remained widely respected by the local population,Cameroon/Bamenda: Making good use of ‘Ghost Towns’, Journal du Cameroun, 3 March 2021. Accessed 3 March 2021. and separatists controlled most roads leading in and out of Bamenda.Cameroon separatists kill 15 soldiers in attacks using explosives, Reuters, 21 September 2021. Accessed 21 September 2021.
Background
Throughout the Anglophone Crisis, armed separatists had used motorcycles to carry out hit-and-run attacks against soldiers and police officers,Twitter, Cameroon News Agency, 11 July 2020. and the Cameroonian security forces wished to deprive them of bases of operation in the city and its vicinity.Operation Bamenda clean: Residents share tori of 'wickedness' as Cameroon army begin mop-up separatists, BBC, 9 September 2020. Accessed 26 September 2020. (Pidgin) On 4 September, the Mayor of Bamenda outlawed motorcycles in the city, to which separatists responded by threatening to bring all traffic to a halt.Tussle For Power Between Ambazonia Fighters And Administrators Over Who Controls Bamenda, Cameroon News Agency, 4 September 2020. Accessed 28 December 2020. Three days prior to the official launch of the operations, soldiers from the Rapid Intervention Battalion had killed a prominent Ambazonian general in Bamenda named Luca Fonteh, known as the nom de guerre "General Mad Dog".Cameroon: Late Amba ‘General Mad Dog’ killed over 100 in NW region – Military, Journal du Cameroun, 7 September 2020. Accessed 7 September 2020.
The rebels in Bamenda include female fighters.
The operation
Aims and rationale
The operation was officially announced on the same day as it commenced on 8 September 2020 a day before the three-year anniversary of the start of the war, Cameroon Journal, 13 September 2017. Accessed 19 April 2018. and 23 days before the Ambazonian Independence Day.
The aims were stated to be to protect civilians from "terrorists" and "criminals" and restore public security in the city.Soldiers, Police Extort Civilians In Operation Bamenda Clean, Cameroon News Agency, 8 September 2020. Accessed 9 September 2020. The operation was consistent with Cameroon's general military strategy of focusing on retaining control over all major urban areas in the Anglophone regions, while not trying to recapture all rural areas that had come under separatist control.Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis: How to Get to Talks?, Crisis Group, 2 May 2019. Accessed 2 May 2019. As of September 2020, separatists openly controlled villages not far from Bamenda.I Traveled Deep Into Conflict to Bury My Grandfather. I Returned Slightly Charmed, Fodors Travel, 23 September 2020. Accessed 24 September 2020.
Timeline of notable events 2020
On 10 September, a Cameroonian soldier was killed during clashes with separatists.Cameroon: One soldier killed in Amba/military clashes in Bamenda, Journal du Cameroun, 10 September 2020. Accessed 10 September 2020. Ambazonia Defence Forces deputy defense chief Capo Daniel (based in exile) responded by imploring local civilians to rise up in opposition to Operation Bamenda Clean. On 14 September, two people were summarily executed by soldiers.Twitter, Cameroon News Agency, 19 September 2020. On 21 September, soldiers summarily executed five civilians in Ngongham, outside Bamenda.NWSW region: Gov’t Forces Kill 11 Civilians In 24 Hours, Cameroon News Agency, 22 September 2020. Accessed Seo 24, 2020. On 6 October, several teachers were abducted by alleged separatists.Crise anglophone : les ambazoniens kidnappent les enseignants à Bamenda, Actu Cameroun, 11 October 2020. Accessed 11 October 2020. On 16 October, a fire erupted in the building where the command post of the Bamenda Territorial Gendarmerie was located. According to an official statement, the cause had been an accident rather than an act by the separatists, and the fire was put out after two and a half hours.Twitter, Cameroon News Agency, 20 October 2020. On 3 November, Cameroon accused separatists of attacking the Longla Comprehensive College in Bamenda.Cameroon govt accuses ‘Ambazonia’ separatists of multiple school attacks, Journal du Cameroun, 5 November 2020. Accessed 28 November 2020. At some point in late-December, there were armed clashes and explosions, and an eight-year-old was killed when he got caught in the crossfire between Cameroonian troops and separatist fighters.
2021 On 23 January, at least four civilians were killed in Bamenda.Twitter, Cameroon News Agency, 22 January 2021. On 1 February, Cameroonian soldiers "neutralized" two armed separatists in Bamenda, and captured a separatist commander known as "General Sweet Tuma".Cameroun : L’Armée neutralise deux hommes armés lors d’un raid à Bamenda, Le Bled Parle, 2 February 2021. Accessed 2 February 2021. (French) On 3 February, three public employees were abducted by suspected separatists in Bamenda, allegedly for sealing shops whose owners respected separatist-imposed ghost towns.Crise anglophone : trois agents de la commune de Bamenda 2 kidnappés, Actu Cameroun, 4 February 2021. Accessed 4 February 2021. (French)
On 5 February, Cameroonian soldiers rescued four civilian hostages from a separatist camp at Ntanka, outside Bamenda. The Cameroonian Army reported to have suffered no casualties, and claimed that four separatist fighters were killed and four captured in the fighting. One of the dead insurgents was "General Lion". One civilian was wounded during the raid. On 8 February, two Cameroonian soldiers were killed in a separatist ambush.https://actucameroun.com/2021/02/09/crise-anglophone-deux-soldats-tues-a-bamenda-nord-ouest/, Actu Cameroun, 9 February 2021. Accessed 9 February 2021. (French) On 5 March, heavy fighting was reported in Bamenda.Bui: Ambazonia Fighters Launch IEDs Targeting Government Forces , Cameroon News Agency, 5 March 2021. Accessed 5 March 2021. On 10 March, at least two Cameroonian soldiers were killed when separatists ambushed a military control post in Bamenda. Clashes were also recorded elsewhere in the city.Twitter, Cameroon News Agency, 10 March 2021. On 4 April, a police officer was killed on the Bamenda-Bali road in a suspected separatist ambush.Cameroon:Police officer killed by suspected Ambazonia fighters in restive NW Region, Journal du Cameroun, 5 April 2021. Accessed 6 April 2021. On 7 April, the head of the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Centre in Bamenda was abducted from his home.Twitter, Cameroon News Agency, 7 April 2021. On 18 April, following clashes with separatists Mile 90, Bamenda, Cameroonian soldiers entered a local bar and massacred at least five civilians.Twitter, Cameroon News Agency, 19 April 2021. On 19 April, separatist commander "General Cobra" and four of his fighters were captured in Bamenda. On 30 April, there were clashes in the neighborhood of Rendezvous.Twitter, Cameroon News Agency, 1 May 2021. On 8–9 May, soldiers freed at least four hostages in a raid on a separatist camp in Tanka, Bamenda. Neither side suffered casualties.Cameroon:Soldiers free four hostages from ‘Ambazonia’ captivity, Journal du Cameroun, 10 May 2021. Accessed 10 May 2021. On 26 May, separatist fighters shot a civilian multiple times, reportedly after he had publicly criticized their activities. He died from his wounds days later.Facebook, Cameroon News Agency, 29 May 2021. On 4 July, Cameroonian soldiers killed a civilian at a police control post in Below Foncha, Bamenda. The killing sparked mass protests, during which civilians destroyed the control post.Cameroon/Bamenda: Irate youths burn down police control post in protest over killing of one of theirs, Journal du Cameroun, 5 July 2021. Accessed 5 July 2021. On 6 July, two separatist fighters were killed in Bamenda.Facebook, Cameroon News Agency, 7 July 2021. On 19 July, separatist fighters were recorded dismembering a Cameroonian soldier in Bamenda.Ambazonia Forces Dismember Military Lieutenant In Bamenda, Cameroon News Agency, 19 July 2021. Accessed 20 July 2021. On 1 August, Cameroonian troops rescued a soldier from an Ambazonian detention facility, hours before his scheduled execution.Facebook, Cameroon News Agency, 3 August 2021. On 7 August, three civilians were killed by suspected separatists in Mile 2 Nkwen, Bamenda.Facebook, Cameroon News Agency, 8 August 2021. On 12 August, separatists abducted a man they accused of selling products that they had banned. The man was later killed in captivity.Facebook, Cameroon News Agency, 23 August 2021. Accessed 23 August 2021. On 11 September, a police officer was killed in Bamenda.Cameroon: Bloody weekend leaves dozens dead in restive Anglophone region, Journal du Cameroun, 13 September 2021. Accessed 13 September 2021. On 12 September, at least four separatist fighters were killed in Bamenda.Cameroon: Four Ambazonia fighters killed in Bamenda, Journal du Cameroun, 13 September 2021. Accessed 13 September 2021. On 1 October, the Cameroonian Army claimed to have killed a high-ranking soldier of the Bambalang Marine Forces. On 29 October, ADF commander "General Cross and Die" was killed in Bamenda. On 15 November, two separatists were killed during a shootout with police forces. On 19 November, separatists blew up a military vehicle in Bamenda with an IED, causing an unknown number of casualties. The ADF claimed responsibility. On 9 December, separatists ambushed a BIR convoy, and the ensuing gunfight saw the deaths of four separatist fighters. On 22 December, Cameroonian soldiers killed two civilian teenagers and injured one in Ngongham, Bamenda.
2022
On 11 January, SDF senator Henry Kemende was killed in Bamenda. No one claimed responsibility. On 28 January, a Cameroonian police officer was shot dead by separatist fighters in Bamenda. The ADF claimed responsibility. On 25 February, the ADF abducted ten teachers from a school for disabled children in Ngomham, Bamenda. On 26 February, suspected separatist fighters opened fire on a vehicle in Bamenda killing a nurse and wounding a doctor. On 17 March, gunmen believed to be separatist fighters killed a man impersonating a fighter in Bamenda. On 5 April, separatists attacked the University of Bamenda for defying a ghost town operation. On 17 April, two civilians were killed following clashes between soldiers and separatists in Bamenda. On 30 April, the ADF abducted Senator Regina Mundi of CPDM and her driver in Bamenda and asked Paul Biya to release 75 Ambazonian prisoners. On 1 May, unknown gunmen kidnapped a lawyer in Bamenda. On 8 May, the Cameroonian Army killed three people including two separatists in Bamenda. On 16 May, clashes broke out in Bamenda and lasted for at least three days. On 26 May, a BBC correspondent was kidnapped by gunmen in Bamenda. On 11 June, a Cameroonian gendarme was killed and beheaded by separatists in Bamenda, and another one was wounded. On 16 June, a Cameroonian gendarme was injured in a separatist attack and left to die by his attackers; he was later rescued by locals.