A total of eighteen people were injured for the explosion of at least two devices during a crowded marathon in the town of okin the southwest of Cameroonlocal authorities reported.
“There were two or three explosions in the race. But I should mention that these explosions didn’t have a big impact on the competition.”, said the governor of the South West region of Cameroon (where the incident took place), Bernard Okalia Bilaiin statements collected by the local media.
“I would like to congratulate the security forces, the population of Buea and all bona fide Cameroonians who ignored this small maneuver, an attempt to disrupt a large sports festival,” he added.
For his part, Cameroon’s Minister of Sports, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, assured that “defense and security forces have the situation under control”.
The explosions occurred this Saturday while hundreds of people watched and participated in a marathon known as Ascension du Mont Cameroun.
After the incident, security forces searched the city and detained some suspectsaccording to local media reports.
Still the perpetrators of this attack are unknown.
The South West region of Cameroon is immersed in the violence due to a secessionist crisis between armed groups Anglophone separatists and the state armed forces.
Although English and French are co-official languages in Cameroon and coexist alongside 250 other native languages, 20% of Cameroon’s population is English-speakinga minority that has felt marginalized and assimilated by the French-speaking central government for decades.
The current crisis involves the Northwest and Southwest regions of the country and began in 2016, with demonstrations and strikes by teachers and lawyers demanding equal use of English in courts and schools and greater representation in the Government.
In 2017 it became an armed conflict intensified by the refusal of the government of President Paul Biya, in power for 40 years, which rejected all kinds of claims.
One of the separatist groups claimed responsibility, but reported that their intention was attack the military
“Our primary targets were the Cameroonian military providing security for the athletes.. We regret that there are injured civilians. We will continue fighting the military where they are until we liberate our territory,” said Capo Daniel, deputy defense chief and spokesman for the Ambazonia Defense Forces.
The annual race celebrated its 50th anniversary, with the participation of more than 550 athletes from 13 countries. The race had started less than 30 minutes before the explosion caused athletes and spectators to stampede.
(With information from EFE and The Associated Press)
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Source-www.infobae.com