15 Killed in Cameroon Attack as Hundreds Flee Far North Villages

An armed group attack in Madegoua, near Makary in Cameroon's Far North region, killed 15 people and forced hundreds to flee 10 nearby villages.

At least 15 people were killed in an armed group attack on Madegoua, a village near Makary in Cameroon’s Far North region, prompting hundreds of residents to flee from the surrounding area.

The attack, which took place on Wednesday, triggered displacement from 10 nearby villages. Several hundred people moved toward Kousseri, while others travelled toward Mora and Waza, according to reporting by RFI cited in the source report.

Health services under pressure

The arrivals have increased pressure on health services in border towns and raised fears of a wider humanitarian crisis. Cameroon’s Far North borders Nigeria and Chad and has faced years of violence involving Boko Haram and other armed groups operating in the Lake Chad Basin.

Mahamat Amadou, a health official in Waza quoted by Africanews, said displaced people were arriving in extremely difficult conditions.

“They arrived here terrified, sleeping in the open air without food or security,” Amadou said.

Displaced people said they had not received assistance from the government. Many women and children had reportedly gone for days without food as families sought safety in towns and villages farther from the attack.

Responsibility remains unclear

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. An unnamed security analyst who spoke to Reuters said the assault was likely carried out by the ISIL (ISIS) affiliate known as West Africa Province. That assessment has not been independently confirmed in the available reporting.

Kassoum Saley, a displaced resident speaking to Africanews, attributed the violence to Boko Haram and described the conditions residents faced before leaving their villages.

“Boko Haram asked us to leave our villages. They come to kill us and take our belongings. We are overwhelmed to the point that we have to guard our village from 6pm to 5am,” Saley said.

Cameroon is part of the Multinational Joint Task Force, which is mandated to combat Boko Haram and other armed groups around Lake Chad. The latest displacement has added to the humanitarian strain in a region where insecurity continues to affect communities across national borders.