March 10, 2017, Buea, Fako State, Southern Ambazonia, Cameroonian Occupation Forces reportedly engaged in a violent operation during which innocent and unarmed civilians, including women and children, were abducted, tortured, and killed. Witnesses recount harrowing scenes as soldiers descended upon the community, forcibly taking civilians from their homes and subjecting them to inhumane treatment.

Women and children, often regarded as the most vulnerable members of society, were not spared from the brutality, highlighting the indiscriminate and ruthless nature of the attack. Those who were abducted endured horrific acts of physical and psychological torture, leaving them in a state of unimaginable suffering before being executed. The violent actions of the occupation forces instilled fear and left the community in mourning, as families grappled with the devastating loss of loved ones and the trauma of the incident.

The community of Buea, which should have been a safe haven for its residents, became a site of unspeakable tragedy as innocent lives were brutally taken without cause or justification. The targeting of unarmed civilians who had no connection to the conflict underscores the systematic use of violence by the occupation forces to instill fear and exert control over the local population.

The deaths of women and children further compound the tragedy, as they symbolize a disregard for the fundamental principles of humanity and decency. The survivors and families of the victims are left with physical scars and emotional trauma that will likely linger for generations, further tearing at the social fabric of the community.

The actions of the Cameroonian forces in Buea constitute a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and qualify as war crimes. Specifically, these acts violate Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits violence against non-combatants, including murder, torture, and cruel treatment.

The deliberate targeting of civilians, particularly women and children, contravenes the principle of distinction, which mandates that parties in conflict must differentiate between combatants and civilians, ensuring the latter are protected from harm.

Torture, as prohibited under the Convention Against Torture, is an egregious abuse of human rights and a violation of international norms. The systematic nature of these violations also raises concerns of potential crimes against humanity, highlighting the urgent need for international accountability and justice for the victims.