One person was killed and several others injured on Monday during armed clashes in Buea, the capital of Cameroon’s English-speaking southwestern region, according to sources.

The fighting began around 1:00 p.m. local time between government forces and suspected separatist fighters, said a military official, who asked not to be named.

“The separatist terrorists opened fire on civilians, killing a taxi driver and injuring several others. Our forces repelled and pushed them back,” the official said.

Residents said heavy gunfire was heard across the town, particularly in the Muea neighborhood, while many people stayed indoors and avoided work.

Police said Buea had been relatively calm since May before Monday’s violence.

Separatist leaders posted on social media that they had intensified their weekly “ghost town” operation every Monday, when all activities in the two Anglophone regions are meant to shut down.

The “ghost town” protests have been in place since 2017, when separatists began fighting government forces in a bid to create an independent state in the Anglophone regions.

Source: Xinhuanet