News

9, April 2017

Egypt: Blast hits area near church ⁰

At least 21 people have been killed and more than 50 others injured in an explosion that hit an area near a church in the northern Egyptian city of Tanta, sources say. State television confirmed the explosion on Sunday but the cause of the blast is yet unknown. Provincial governor Ahmad Deif told state television that the explosion occurred inside the church. “Either a bomb was planted or someone blew himself up,” Deif said.

The sources added that there was a second blast near the city’s police academy. Egypt has been facing violence due to terrorist attacks across the country in the past years. The Takfiri Velayat Sinai terrorist group has claimed responsibility for most of the attacks. The group, previously known as Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, was founded in 2011, and in mid-2013, it began a campaign of deadly attacks against Egyptian security forces.

Militants have been taking advantage of the turmoil caused in Egypt after the country’s democratically-elected president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted by the military in July 2013. Velayat Sinai has killed hundreds of soldiers and police officers, particularly in the Sinai Peninsula, since then. In November 2014, it pledged allegiance to the Daesh terrorist group, which is mainly active in Syria and Iraq, and renamed itself again as Daesh-Velayat Sinai Province.

Presstv

8, April 2017

Russia deploys missile-armed ship to Syria after US attack ⁰

Russia has reportedly sent a missile-armed frigate to its naval base in Syria’s Mediterranean coastal city of Tartus following a recent US missile strike against an airbase in the Arab country. An informed military-diplomatic source in Moscow told Russia’s TASS news agency on Friday that the Admiral Grigorovich, a Russian Black Sea Fleet’s frigate, was due to arrive in the Mediterranean later on the day.

“The Russian ship armed with cruise missiles Kalibr will visit the logistics base in Tartus,” the source said. The 4,000-ton warship’s presence off Syria’s coast would depend on the situation, but “in any way it will last more than a month,” the source added.

The Russian ship was deployed to Syria after taking part in a joint exercise with Turkish ships in the Black Sea. Early on Friday, US warships in the eastern Mediterranean launched a barrage of 59 Tomahawk missiles against Shayrat Airfield in Syria’s Homs Province, which Washington alleged was the origin of a suspected chemical attack on the town of Khan Shaykhun in Syria’s Idlib Province earlier this month.

Washington has not provided any evidence to support the accusations, prompting criticisms from many countries and international intuitions for choosing to take unilateral military action hastily and without proof. The strike drew the praise from anti-Damascus militant groups as well as the parties long viewed as their staunch supporters, including Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey and their Western allies.

Syria has categorically denied carrying out the purported gas attack, with Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem stressing that the Idlib airstrike had targeted a depot, where terrorists stored chemical weapons.

Presstv

8, April 2017

Southern Cameroons: Leaders to be tried together with 25 other suspects ¹

The Yaoundé military court has ordered a combination of proceedings in the so-called trial of the leaders’ of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium. The case of Dr Fontem Neba, Dr. Agbor Bala and Bbc Mancho- whose trial opened on the 13^th of February at the Yaounde military court was attached to that of the other 25 accused and deferred to the 27^th of April.

The 28 defendants are prosecuted for acts of terrorism, hostility against the fatherland, secession, revolution, insurrection, outrage to the President of the Republic, outrage against constituted bodies and officials, group rebellion, civil war and propagation of false news.

The Francophone regime has revealed that the leaders risk the death penalty if they are convicted of acts of terrorism in accordance with article 2 of Law No. 2014/028 of 23 December 2014 on the punishment of acts of terrorism.

By Rita Akana in Yaounde

7, April 2017

Issa Tchiroma issues statement on US truck controversy ⁰

The Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary has issued a press release to clarify public on the issue concerning trucks hired by the government of the United States that were transiting from Chad to Cameroon.

The press release indicated that the trucks that were travelling from Ndjamena in Chad to Garoua in Cameroon were detained in the town for Kousseri by the Cameroonian customs agency assisted by the security forces for a routine security check. The check, he indicated is in accordance with sovereignty and security regulations enforce.

The press release further states that after the check, no weapons or ammunition were found in the containers. The truck load contained bathing items, toilet towels, foot needs, electrical cables and air conditions equipment. The Minister in the release saluted the valuable support Cameroon has been benefiting from the US government in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorist group.

CRTV

7, April 2017

Nigeria: Boko Haram militants attack, burn down military base ⁰

The Boko Haram terrorist group has attacked and set a military base in northeastern Nigeria on fire, raising fears of a reemergence of the Daesh-linked outfit. Armed men from a Boko Haram faction on Thursday staged an attack on the military base in the Wajirko Village, 150 kilometers from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.

“The gunmen arrived in pickups and engaged soldiers in the base just outside the village in a heavy shootout,” a local resident Bukar Maduye told media. “The soldiers were outgunned and forced to withdraw from the base and allowed the gunmen, who were from Mamman Nur faction, to take over the base, which they looted and set on fire,” he said.

A member of a vigilante group, which is assisting the military in its battle against Boko Haram terrorists, confirmed the incident, adding that the soldiers at the base had moved to another military base 40 kilometers away. “There were no reports of casualties from either side but the base was completely burnt by the Boko Haram terrorists and the soldiers fled,” said Mustapha Karimbe. On Wednesday, Boko Haram militants attacked Abbati, a farming community outside Maiduguri, where they killed seven men and stole 360 heads of livestock.

In recent weeks, the Takfiri militants have intensified their attacks in areas near Lake Chad, stealing food from residents after raiding their farms. They have also killed several civilians they accused of cooperating with the military.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who came to power in 2015 with a pledge to eradicate Boko Haram, claims to have prevailed over Boko Haram’s militancy; however, frequent deadly attacks in the West African country indicate otherwise. In its fight against Boko Haram, the Nigerian military is being assisted by troops from neighboring countries such as Chad and Cameroon.

Presstv

7, April 2017

Southern Cameroons: Consortium leader tells SDF MPs Francophone members of gov’t demonstrated bad faith ¹

Dr. Fontem Neba, one of the emblematic figures of the Southern Cameroons struggle incarcerated at the Yaounde central prison located in Kondengui in the Central Region has said that the Anglophone problem has taken a dramatic u-turn because of bad faith on the part of the CPDM regime in Yaounde. Dr Fontem made the declaration during a meeting with parliamentarians of Social Democratic Front on April 5, 2017.

Fontem Neba returned to the relations between the government and the arrested leaders. “There is so much to be said in the Anglophone crisis that continues to get bogged down. You must know that the crisis which is on-going is linked to the bad will of the leaders. Negotiations between the Government and the unions of Anglophone teachers had resumed. I must quickly say that the strike had taken another turn. The people followed closely all our actions; And it was no longer possible to circumvent them.”

Dr Fontem Neba pointed out that during the last meeting of the ad hoc committee; the trade unionists expressed the wish to have a moment of consultation. The objective of this consultation was to lift the strike slogan. “But the members of the Government did not understand. Yet they wanted a truce and wished absolutely to report to the Head of State that the strike had been lifted and we refused. That is why the state moved on to higher gear of arresting us.” For the Southern Cameroon leader if the government had listened to the Consortium, the crisis would not be at the current level.

By Rita Akana

6, April 2017

Consortium says Rigobert Song visit must be resisted, ignored and completely boycotted ²

The Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium (CACSC), has called on the populations of the North West and South West to disregard the announced visit of former Indomitable Lions captain, Rigobert Song Bahanag to Southern Cameroons.

State broadcaster, the Cameroon Radio Television announced on Tuesday that the former footballer who survived a stroke would visit the regions and thank them for praying towards his healing. In a release on Wednesday 5 April, the CACSC noted that Southern Cameroonians (North West and South West) are a friendly and peace loving people but insinuates that Song’s visit is a state-sponsored initiative with ulterior motives.

“And so, it must be resisted, ignored and completely boycotted until Yaoundé understands that the train of the restoration of our statehood sped off since early February and we do not plan to have any business with them anymore,” part of the release read. The co-signatories of the statement; Barrister Eyambe Elias and Tassang Wilfred said the consortium cannot recall when the regions organized public special prayers for the life of the ace footballer when he was hospitalized in France.

Song’s visit would be the second caravan to the regions after the trophy of the Africa Cup of Nations that was paraded in all ten regions. However, critics hold that should “Manyang” embark on a thank you tour, he should go to all ten regions not only the crisis-hit North West and South West.

Song who arrived the country on Saturday April 1 after spending six months in La Pitie Salpertriere Hospital in France already organized an inter-religious service in Yaoundé on Tuesday 4 April to thank God for his survival and Cameroonians for their prayers. He also visited the Yaoundé Emergency Centre where he spent three days in a coma before being airlifted to Paris.

Cameroun Info.Net

6, April 2017

United Nations: Russia, West trade barbs over Syria attack in UNSC meeting ⁰

Representatives from Russia and Western countries have been engaged in a war of words during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) concerning a recent suspected chemical attack in Syria. They clashed on Wednesday over a resolution drafted by Britain, France and the US, which condemned the suspected toxic gas attack in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province and demanded a full investigation into Tuesday’s incident.

Russia’s Deputy Ambassador to the UN Vladimir Safronkov said such attacks were provoked by ex-US President Barack Obama’s threat of military action if a “red line” was crossed and chemical weapons were used in Syria. “That decision served as a starting point for future provocations by terrorists and extremist structures with the use of chemical weapons, they sought to discredit… Damascus… and to create a pretext for the use of military force against a sovereign state,” he said.

Five permanent members of the Security Council, among them Russia, have the power to veto UN resolutions that need nine positive votes and no vetoes to pass. Russia has on several occasions blocked anti-Damascus motions at the Security Council. Separately on Wednesday, Russia denounced as “unacceptable” the Western-proposed draft resolution. “We do not believe it is expedient to pass a resolution on the chemical weapons attack in its present form,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying on Wednesday.

Elsewhere in her comments, Zakharova questioned the data on which the latest proposed UN resolution was based, stressing that the motion would exacerbate tensions in Syria and the region. “Unfortunately, based on totally fake information, the United States, France and Great Britain have once again planted – one cannot put it any other way – into the UN Security Council a draft resolution which has a completely anti-Syrian character,” she said.

The motion “pre-empts the results of an investigation and just immediately designates the guilty,” she added. The suspected chemical attack targeted the town of Khan Shaykhun in Idlib province on Tuesday. It was followed by alleged air raids that hit a hospital where victims of the assault were being treated. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll at 72. Syria’s opposition accused the Syrian government of bombing Khan Shaykhun with chemical munitions.

However, the Syrian army categorically denied the accusation about its involvement in the deadly attack, emphasizing that it “has never used them, anytime, anywhere, and will not do so in the future.” Russia’s Defense Ministry said the deaths were caused when a Syrian air strike struck a “terrorist warehouse” used for making bombs containing “toxic substances.”

Presstv

5, April 2017

Biya sends Rigobert Song, more troops to Southern Cameroons ³

The former captain of the Indomitable Lions, Rigobert Song has announced that he would be paying a visit to Southern Cameroons to thank the people of the North West and South West regions for praying for healing when he suffered a stroke. The announcement came as more Francophone troops are being deployed to Southern Cameroons. The plan by “Magnan” as he is popularly referred to was made public by state radio and television on the Tuesday 5 PM news bulletin. A spokesperson for the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium contacted by Cameroon Concord News has condemned the move stating that it was orchestrated by the presidency of the republic.

“Rigobert Song recently returned from France where he received medical care paid for by the Cameroon tax payer on October 2, 2016. He needs time with his family and friends not travelling to the Anglophone regions” noted an operations manager of the Consortium based in Buea.

“Magnan” as his compatriots affectionately call him revealed that he would like to meet the people of the two Anglophone regions to thank them for having prayed for healing. Since his arrival in Cameroon, on Saturday, April 1, 2017, the former Lion has made multiple declarations. He was at the Yaoundé Emergency Center (CURY), which hosted him after his stroke occurred while at his home in Yaoundé on 2 October 2016.

A thanksgiving ceremony was then scheduled for Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at the Yaoundé Sports Complex in honor of the one who wore the captain’s armband for the senior lions for nearly ten years. All these events organized around the return of Rigobert Song in Cameroon are not to the taste of all Cameroonians.

“The announcement of his trip to Southern Cameroons has now revealed that Song is indeed a pro Biya comedian. I think he should condemn the rapes, killings and abductions currently going on in Anglophone Cameroon before coming here,” hinted Charles Enow Ebai who supports the Consortium and advocates an independent state for West Cameroon.

Many have wondered aloud why Song who made millions from football could appear cheap by showering praises on Biya and wife for footing his hospital bills. “I owe a lot to President Paul Biya and his wife. They took all the burdens to save my life, “he said.

By Sama Ernest

4, April 2017

Fire ravages SODECOTTON warehouse in the Douala Port ⁰

Devastating flames have consumed part of the Douala Autonomous Port. State radio and television reported that the fire which breakout at 1 a.m. early on Monday, 3rd April 2017 consumed a cotton warehouse belonging to the Cotton Development Cooperation, SODECOTTON.

SODECOTTON sources revealed that the fire ravaged about 2500 tons of cotton stocked in the warehouse deep inside the Douala Port. Fire fighters and marines stationed at the autonomous ports battled tirelessly with the flames to prevent it from spreading. The cause of the fire is still unknown but competent authorities are presently investigating.

By Eyong Johnson