The Cameroon government has launched investigations after a video circulated by Amnesty International showed security forces shooting at least a dozen unarmed people in the Far North of the country where they are battling Islamist militants.
Through a statement, Amnesty revealed that it had verified the video through witness testimony, satellite imagery and analysis of the weapons, dialogue and uniforms. It said the video was shot in the village of Achigaya at an unknown date prior to May 2016.
“Here is yet more credible evidence to support the allegations that Cameroon’s armed forces have committed grave crimes against civilians,” Ilaria Allegrozzi, Amnesty International’s Lake Chad Researcher, said.
Despite the government probing the matter, Government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary says that the government was the victim of a “campaign of denigration” ahead of the election, when Biya will try to extend his 36-year rule.
“We are in an electoral period and it’s conducive to this kind of thing. People want to discredit the army and president,” Tchiroma told Reuters.
The 85-year-old Biya announced in July he will seek a seventh term in October’s elections.
Later on Friday, Tchiroma further announced in a statement that authorities had arrested seven soldiers, including a lieutenant and a sergeant, in connection with the previous video.
