January 22, 2021, Bafia, Fako State, Southern Ambazonia: Cameroon Occupation Forces abducted, tortured, and killed innocent and unarmed civilians, including raping women and burning properties, eyewitnesses recounted.

The events that took place on January 22, 2021, in Bafia, Fako State, Southern Ambazonia, constitute serious violations of International Humanitarian Law and human rights law. The abduction, torture, and killing of unarmed civilians violate Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions (1949), which strictly prohibits violence against persons taking no active part in hostilities, including murder, mutilation, cruel treatment, and torture.

The rape of women is an additional grave breach of international law and is classified as a War Crime under Article 8(2)(e)(vi) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which specifically condemns rape, sexual slavery, and other forms of sexual violence committed during armed conflict. Additionally, the burning of properties and destruction of civilian homes violate Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the destruction of private and public property unless required by military necessity. These atrocities reflect a deliberate campaign of terror and collective punishment against the civilian population and could amount to crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute, given their widespread and systematic nature.

Furthermore, the use of Sexual violence as a weapon of War is a clear violation of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the UN Security Council Resolution 1820 (2008), which explicitly states that rape and other forms of sexual violence during armed conflicts constitute War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity, and can amount to acts of Genocide.

The targeting of civilians in this manner also contravenes Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the right to life and security of all individuals. The eyewitness testimonies highlighting these brutalities underscore the need for an independent international investigation and accountability mechanisms to prosecute the perpetrators.

Given the systematic nature of these crimes, including abductions, executions, sexual violence, and property destruction, there is a strong indication that these acts form part of a broader state-sanctioned policy of repression and ethnic cleansing in Ambazonia. The international community must respond urgently by applying pressure on Cameroon to halt these violations, ensuring justice for the victims, and holding those responsible accountable Under International Law.

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