YAOUNDE, July 20 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was shot dead and two others were injured in a bar in Cameroon's conflict-hit English-speaking Northwest Region overnight into Sunday, according to witnesses and security sources.
The attack took place in Bali Nyonga when gunmen believed to be separatist fighters stormed the bar and opened fire.
"The attackers took everyone by surprise and started shooting indiscriminately. A well-known local businessman called Lexus was killed, and they kept shooting, injuring two other people as they tried to escape. It was really terrifying," a resident who was at the bar told Xinhua by phone.
The resident, who asked not to be named, said the gunmen then set fire to a public building before fleeing.
Local police said additional troops have been deployed to the area to restore security.
Bar shootings have become increasingly common in the region, where separatists have been clashing with government forces since 2017. The separatists are seeking to establish an independent state in Cameroon's English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions. ■