Greater than 30 girls kidnapped by separatist rebels for protesting illegal taxes imposed on them have been launched, the federal government mentioned Friday.
The ladies have been taken earlier this month from Babanki, a farming village within the Northwest Area, alongside the border with Nigeria.
“We’ve got taken the ladies to hospitals the place they’re being handled for accidents and supported psychosocially,” mentioned Simon Emil Mooh, an area authorities official.
MORE THAN 30 WOMEN IN CAMEROON ABDUCTED BY SEPARATIST FIGHTERS
The separatists have been accumulating month-to-month funds from youngsters, ladies and men, imposing taxes on {couples} earlier than they bought married, and forcing households to pay $1,000 to bury their family, he mentioned.
Separatist rebels have launched over 30 girls they took hostage from a northwest Cameroonian village. (Picture by Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Pictures)
The Central African nation has been plagued by fighting since English-speaking separatists launched a rise up in 2017, with the said purpose of breaking away from the world dominated by the French-speaking majority and organising an impartial, English-speaking state.
The federal government has accused the separatists of committing atrocities towards English-speaking civilians. The battle has killed greater than 6,000 folks and displaced greater than 760,000 others, in keeping with the Worldwide Disaster Group.
WESTERN CAMEROON GUNMEN ABDUCT AT LEAST 25 PEOPLE
A number of the girls launched instructed The Associated Press that they have been tortured whereas in captivity.
“The separatist fighters beat me with their weapons after stripped me bare,” Vubom Elizabeth instructed the AP by telephone on Friday from the hospital the place she was being handled. The rebels broke her left leg and arm, she mentioned.
Separatist chief Capo Daniel mentioned the ladies have been freed after promising to cease protesting, however warned that folks would proceed to be punished in the event that they proceed.
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The governor of Cameroon’s Northwest Area, Deben Tchoffo, referred to as on the collaboration of communities to cease the atrocities and mentioned the federal government will do what it takes to guard the ladies from separatist brutality.