YAOUNDE, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 civilians, including women and children, were killed early Wednesday when suspected separatist fighters raided a community in Cameroon's restive Northwest Region, local authorities said.
Fifteen people were also wounded, two critically, in the attack that occurred at around 5:30 a.m. local time in Mbandfung, a village in the English-speaking region' Ndu subdivision, Abdou Kanfon Borno, mayor of Ndu Council, told Xinhua by phone.
"The separatist terrorists invaded the Gidado neighborhood of the village, targeting the Mbororo community who live there," Abdou said. "There were no clashes. The villagers were still asleep. They just opened fire on everyone, including children and women. A respected community elder was killed."
He condemned the attack and called for calm as authorities investigate.
There have been frequent deadly clashes between separatist fighters and armed Mbororo tribesmen since 2017, when an armed separatist conflict erupted in Cameroon's two Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest. ■