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Cameroon: North-West and South-West - Situation Report No. 56 (July 2023)

Attachments

This report is produced by OCHA Cameroon in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 1 to 31 July 2023. The next report will be issued in September 2023.

HIGHLIGHTS

• At least 3,655 persons displaced in July in the NorthWest (NW) and South-West (SW) regions due to violence.

• After a year without case, new cholera cases reported in Tiko health district, SW.

• Twelve schools affected by floods and landslides from heavy rain in Limbe, Fako division, SW, resulting in material damage/loss.

• An incident of extortion of humanitarian teams reported.

• Several violent incidents against healthcare and education infrastructure and personnel reported.

• Over 526,153 children vaccinated during the national vaccination campaign against measles in the NW and SW.

SITUATION OVERVIEW / HUMANITARIAN ACCESS

Insecurity remains high due to frequent and sustained clashes between State security forces (SSFs) and non-State armed groups (NSAGs) in areas of the North-West and South-West (NWSW) regions. The armed violence, with reported incidents of killing, abductions for ransom, extortion, arbitrary arrests, destruction of property (arson), and physical assaults, is severely impacting populations. In July, 3,655 persons were displaced in the NW and SW due to violence, with Meme, Manyu and Fako divisions in the SW and Mezam and Bui divisions in the NW recording the highest number of displacements. Ongoing clashes, armed groups’ activity and military operations continued to put the population in harm’s way and caused frequent pendular displacements to nearby bushes and towns for safety and resulted in humanitarian needs. Despite the challenges, humanitarian partners continued provide assistance to the most vulnerable.

The use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along road axis, especially in the NW, continued to be reported. On 11 and 19 July, military convoys in Sop and Wainamah in Bui division were targeted. Other IEDs were found in public places, like in Ntarikon in Mezam division, where an IED was denotated on 28 July nearby the residence of the late founder and president of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), whose burial triggered a lockdown implemented by NSAGs from 27 to 29 July in the NW and SW.

Roadblocks by NSAGs continued to affect traffic, populations movements and to hamper humanitarian interventions and access to affected populations. The Ndop - Bambalang axis has been blocked from 1 July and the Nkambe – Ndu road axis has been blocked from 13 July for an undefined period. Moreover, previous restrictions, such as those on the Bamenda - Mbengwi, Bamenda - Fundong and Bemenda – Ndop axes have not been lifted. In the SW, curfews on the Kumba- Mamfe and Mamfe- Ekok roads from 6:30 pm to 6:30 am continued Also, extortion on a humanitarian team was recorded on 11 July in Bole Bakundu in Meme division in the SW.

Violence against health care and education infrastructure and personnel were recorded in July. Four incidents against health care were reported in the SW. On 6 July a NSAG reportedly broke into a health facility in Akwa village in Manyu division and took away medical supplies. On 7 July and 11 July, two incidents reportedly involving SSFs took place nearby Bokosso health center and at a health facility in Wone, in Meme division, over accusations of medically attending to NSAGs elements. On 12 July, NSAG members reportedly burned a non-functional catholic health centre in Besali village, Lebialem division.

In addition, two attacks on education were recorded in the NW region. On 8 July, NSAGs reportedly kidnapped two civilians renovating the Ndop government bilingual high school in Ngo-Kentunjia division and demanded a ransom for their release. Furthermore, on the same date, a contractor renovating a primary school building in Wumukan village, Momo division, was reportedly kidnapped. Both were accused of working for the Government against NSAGs.

Globally, humanitarian access remains challenging in the NWSW where humanitarian partners have to engage continuously to be able to reach affected population in order to provide humanitarian assistance and services. Vulnerabilities are being exacerbated, due to insecurity but also prices increase in particular in divisions with significant movement and traffic limitations.

Disclaimer

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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