July 11, 2018, Buea, Fako State, Southern Ambazonia: The Cameroon Occupation Forces were caught on camera committing egregious acts of violence against innocent civilians. Eyewitness footage reveals these forces deliberately setting homes and properties ablaze, structures that served as both shelter and sources of livelihood for the local population.

This deliberate destruction left countless families homeless and destitute, stripping them of their basic means of survival. In addition to the arson, the occupation forces conducted widespread abductions, targeting youths and women. Many others sustained injuries, leaving the community traumatized and in despair.

This incident constitutes a War Crime under International Humanitarian Law (IHL). According to the Fourth Geneva Convention (1949), particularly Article 33, collective punishment, destruction of property not justified by Military Necessity, and acts of pillage are explicitly prohibited. Burning homes and civilian property, especially in the absence of Military Justification, violates this provision and reflects a deliberate attack on civilians. Additionally, Article 8(2)(a)(iv) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) classifies the extensive destruction and appropriation of property, carried out unlawfully and wantonly, as a war crime.

The Abduction of civilians, particularly targeting youths and women, violates Article 3 common to all four Geneva Conventions. This article prohibits violence to life and person, including cruel treatment, torture, and taking hostages during armed conflicts. Furthermore, under the United Nations Convention Against Torture, any form of physical or psychological abuse inflicted on individuals is strictly outlawed. The abduction and subsequent harm inflicted on these individuals represent a gross violation of their fundamental rights.

By burning homes and properties, abducting civilians, and injuring innocents, the Cameroon Occupation Forces breached core principles of international humanitarian law, specifically proportionality and distinction, which mandate that civilian populations and property must never be targeted during armed conflict. This tragedy highlights the urgent need for international accountability and justice to prevent further violations and protect the rights and dignity of innocent civilians in conflict zones.