YAOUNDE, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Two separatist commanders and 16 of their fighters surrendered to Cameroonian authorities in the country's restive Anglophone region on Tuesday, an official said.
The militant commanders known as "General Baron" and "General Jer boy" handed themselves over to government officials in the town of Mundemba, said Louis Sake Esono Besinga, the first deputy mayor of Mundemba Council, the government of Mundemba.
The two commanders handed their weapons to security forces at a ceremony in front of reporters, and called on all other fighters to give themselves in as soon as possible.
Besinga said the surrender was key "to finding lasting peace" in the war-torn region.
Since the beginning of this year, several senior leaders of separatist forces have given up fighting with the government. Since 2017, government forces have been clashing with armed separatists who are seeking to create an independent nation in Cameroon's two English-speaking regions of Northwest and Southwest. ■