Southern Cameroons Crisis: rising violence threatens school reopening ⁰

Four days before Cameroon’s 2026-27 school year begins on Sept. 7, International Crisis Group (ICG) has warned that violence recorded in August could disrupt the reopening of schools in the country’s two Anglophone regions.

“Rising violence in the Anglophone regions could affect school reopening in September,” the organization warned in its monthly conflict monitoring report published Sept. 2, 2026. ICG based its warning on several incidents recorded during August. In the Northwest region, the organization reported that separatists attacked the Nkor gendarmerie brigade on Aug. 5 in an attempt to free fighters detained there. Security forces responded to the attack.

On Aug. 11, armed men also intercepted passengers along the Batibo-Mamfe road. ICG reported the abduction of about 20 civilians. That figure differs from a report by Xinhua, which cited residents and security sources and said at least 13 people were taken into the bush by the attackers. The assailants later demanded a ransom, according to the report.

In the Southwest region, ICG reported an ambush on a military convoy along the Buea-Muyuka road on Aug. 8, followed by clashes between separatists and defense forces near Buea on Aug. 15.

The increase in violence comes just before the start of the school year, a period that has repeatedly felt the effects of the conflict in the two Anglophone regions.

Since the sociopolitical crisis began in 2016 and later developed into an armed conflict, schools, teachers and students have faced violence, restrictions on movement and school boycott campaigns.

More than 88 attacks on education reported in first half

The education sector remains directly exposed to the conflict. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 88 attacks on education were reported between January and June 2026.

Schools have been targeted, while teachers have faced threats that include intimidation and abductions. Movement restrictions, hostage-taking and illegal checkpoints have also complicated access to schools and other essential services in areas affected by the violence.

Government steps up security ahead of school reopening

The Cameroonian government reviewed security arrangements for the new school year at an Aug. 26 meeting at the Ministry of Defense. The meeting, chaired by Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defense Joseph Beti Assomo, brought together representatives from the Ministry of Territorial Administration, the national police, the national gendarmerie, intelligence services and the military high command.

Among the security concerns identified was the continued enforcement of Monday “ghost town” orders in some communities in the Northwest and Southwest regions.

At the end of the meeting, Beti Assomo ordered an intensification of security operations in coordination with administrative authorities and local stakeholders ahead of the planned Sept. 7 return to school.

Source: Sbbc