In Limbé and Buéa, soldiers are on the lookout and light armored vehicles crisscross these two towns in English-speaking Cameroon. They fear attacks by separatists during the semi-final of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) scheduled for Wednesday, February 3 in Limbé, capital of the South West region. The city of Buea, which hosts selections for training, is also on alert.
For four years, the two English-speaking regions have been in the throes of a bloody conflict between armed groups, which demand the independence of these areas, and the security forces.
The violence has left more than 3,000 dead and more than 700,000 displaced. Civilians, caught in a pincer movement, are victims of crimes and abuses on both sides, according to international NGOs and the UN.
The Pan-African Championship kicked off on January 16. This is the first major international football tournament organized in the world since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. But, beyond the health restrictions (25% of places, 50% from the semi-finals), the big challenge for the organizers is therefore that of security, in this country in a situation of war on part of his territory.
