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Business Reopens Between Southern Cameroon and Nigeria

Moki Edwin Kindzeka

   YAOUNDE - Cameroon's military says it has restored security on an
   important trade road between western Cameroon and Nigeria. The military
   this week said it had killed at least 13 separatist fighters who
   blocked the Bamenda-Enugu Road for two months and were demanding
   illegal tolls. The rebels denied it was their fighters and blamed other
   armed groups.

   General Valere Nka, commander of Cameroonian forces fighting
   separatists in the English-speaking North West region, saidhis troops
   had destroyed several camps along the road linking the Cameroonian town
   of Bamenda to Enugu in Nigeria. Nka said the four-day battle ended
   Wednesday night. He spoke via a messaging application from Bamenda.

   Nka saidafter battles that lasted four days, at least 13 rebels were
   dead and many locally made guns, explosive devices, pistols, vehicles,
   motorcycles, hard drugs and a machine gun that was seized from the
   Cameroonian military by rebels a year ago had been taken from the
   separatists. He saidhe appreciated the professionalism of his troops,
   even though one of them was killed and another wounded.

   Nka said Cameroon and Nigerian traders had complained to him a month
   ago that they were no longer safe on the road. After this week's
   attacks on rebel camps, Nka assured civilians that security had been
   restored and advised traders and travelers to report any suspicious
   movements and cooperate with the military.

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