Belgian authorities have detained three suspected Cameroonian separatist figures as part of an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the long-running conflict in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, federal prosecutors said.
The suspects are believed to be senior members of the Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF), an armed group seeking independence for Cameroon’s English-speaking North-West and South-West regions from the predominantly French-speaking state.
According to Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office, the individuals are suspected of helping coordinate the separatist armed campaign from Europe.
“Funds are allegedly being raised to support the armed struggle and to purchase weapons and ammunition, while instructions for attacks are said to have been issued from Belgium,” prosecutors said in a statement.
The arrests followed coordinated searches carried out Sunday in the port city of Antwerp and in the Flemish town of Londerzeel. Four people were initially detained during the operation, with an investigating judge ordering three of them held in custody pending further inquiries.
Belgian authorities said the investigation began last summer and focuses on individuals residing in Belgium who are suspected of being part of the leadership structure of the ADF.
The probe forms part of a broader international effort to investigate alleged abuses linked to the separatist conflict. Similar cases targeting suspected rebel leaders abroad have previously been launched in Norway and the United States.
Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis began in 2016 when teachers and lawyers in the English-speaking regions staged protests over the growing use of French in courts and schools. The demonstrations evolved into a broader movement against what many Anglophones viewed as political and economic marginalisation by the Francophone-dominated government.
In 2017, separatist activists declared the creation of an independent state called Ambazonia, triggering an armed conflict between government forces and various rebel groups, including the ADF.
Human rights organisations accuse both separatist fighters and Cameroonian security forces of committing widespread abuses against civilians during the conflict.
According to the United Nations, more than 6,500 people have been killed since the fighting began nearly a decade ago. The violence has also displaced around 490,000 people and left more than 1.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance.
President Paul Biya, who has ruled Cameroon for more than four decades, says his government has taken steps to address the crisis. However, his administration continues to face criticism from rights groups and opposition figures over its handling of the conflict and broader restrictions on political freedoms.