January 10, 2020, Mautu, Fako State, Southern Ambazonia, Cameroon Occupation Forces carried out a brutal attack against innocent and unarmed civilians, leaving a devastating toll on the local population. According to eyewitness reports, more than 10 civilians, including children and mothers, were forcibly abducted, subjected to inhumane torture, and ultimately executed.

The soldiers stormed the community without warning, indiscriminately targeting innocent people in their homes and on the streets. Families were separated as men, women, and children were dragged away to unknown locations, their cries for help drowned out by the violence inflicted upon them.

The victims endured harrowing torture, suffering severe beatings, physical mutilation, and psychological torment at the hands of the occupying forces. Some were reportedly bound, blindfolded, and mercilessly beaten, while others were executed in cold blood, their bodies left as grim reminders of the unrelenting campaign of terror waged against the people of Ambazonia. Eyewitnesses recounted how defenseless mothers clung to their children in a desperate bid to protect them, only to be met with the same fate at the hands of the soldiers.

Beyond the mass abductions and killings, the invading forces left a trail of destruction, shattering the peace and security of an already vulnerable community. Families were left mourning their loved ones, while fear and despair gripped the region. This attack was not an isolated incident but part of a broader strategy of repression, aimed at instilling fear and eliminating those who resist the occupation.

The Cameroon Occupation Forces’ actions constitute War Crimes and Crimes against humanity under International Law, including:

• The Geneva Conventions (1949) – Common Article 3: Prohibits murder, mutilation, cruel treatment, and torture of civilians during conflicts.
• The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998) – Articles 7 & 8: Defines widespread and systematic attacks against civilians, including abductions, torture, and extrajudicial killings, as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) – Articles 3 & 5: States that every individual has the right to life, liberty, and security and should not be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
• The Convention Against Torture (1984) – Article 1: Outlaws all acts of torture committed by state actors, making those responsible liable for prosecution.

By abducting, torturing, and executing innocent civilians, including women and children, the Cameroon Occupation Forces have committed severe violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). These war crimes must not go unpunished, and urgent intervention is needed to ensure justice for the victims and accountability for the perpetrators.