Ambazonia Self-Defence Council

Last updated
Ambazonia Self-Defence Council
Leaders
Dates of operationMarch 2018 [9] – present
Group(s)
Political position
SizeThousands (self-claim) [6]
Part ofFlag of the Federal Republic of Southern Cameroons.svg  Ambazonia

The Ambazonia Self-Defence Council (ASC), also known as Ambazonia Military Council (AMC), Ambazonia Military Forces (AMF), [6] and Ambazonia Restoration Forces (ARF), [11] is an umbrella organization that consists of several militants that fight for the independence of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, including the Red Dragons, the Tigers of Ambazonia, Seven Karta, the Manyu Ghost Warriors, the Ambazonia Restoration Army, [9] the Southern Cameroons Defence Forces, [6] the Bui Warriors, [10] General No Pity's forces, [3] and numerous others. [6] Collectively, these militias possibly outsize the Ambazonia Defence Forces and SOCADEF. [11]

Contents

History

The ASC was created by the Interim Government of Ambazonia in March 2018. The Interim Government wished to include all separatist militias, including the ADF; however, the ADF declined to join, opting for cooperation rather than integration. [12] It is unclear whether the ASC has a centralized command structure, though given the local nature of its militias, this is unlikely. [9]

In March 2019, the Southern Cameroons Liberation Council (SCLC) was created. Days later, it declared an immediate end to a lockdown in Fako Division, previously declared by the Interim Government. Although the ASC is loyal to the Interim Government, and the Interim Government is part of the SCLC, the ASC refused to end the lockdown. [13] In its refusal to obey the order, the ASC cited the lack of consultation by the SCLC. [14]

By 2021, the ASC had become more commonly known as the "Ambazonia Restoration Forces" (ARF). [10] [2] [15]

In January 2022, the ARF began to fracture as conflicts erupted among its members. Several commanders of the umbrella group, including General No Pity and General Mad Dog, formed the Bui Unity Warriors in opposition to "Field Marshal" Insobu's Bui Warriors, [4] [5] another group within the ARF. [10] The internal struggles further escalated in February 2022, as the Interim Government splintered when its leader Samuel Ikome Sako was impeached. General Mad Dog began attacking the forces of then-ARF chief commander Lekeaka Oliver, [2] and General No Pity's troops killed Insobu in April 2022. [5] Oliver was killed in July, either by government forces or rival rebels. [16]

In August 2022, more than 50 ARF commanders met to agree to a more organized unification of the ARF as well as to distance themselves from the exile leadership of the rebellion. At the meeting, "General Bitter Collar" and "Commander Armoured Car" were elected as Communication Secretaries for the unified militias. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ambazonia</span> Political entity proclaimed by Cameroons Anglophone separatists

Ambazonia, alternatively the "Federal Republic of Ambazonia" or "State of Ambazonia", is a political entity proclaimed by Anglophone separatists who are seeking independence from Cameroon. The separatists claim that Ambazonia should consist of the Northwest Region and Southwest Region of Cameroon. Since 2017, Ambazonian rebels are in an armed conflict with the Cameroonian military, in what is known as the Anglophone Crisis, setting up a government-in-exile and capturing some territory. No country has recognized Ambazonia's existence as of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglophone Crisis</span> 2017–present separatist conflict in Cameroon

The Anglophone Crisis, also known as the Ambazonia War or the Cameroonian Civil War, is an ongoing conflict between Ambazonian militant groups and the Cameroonian government in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon, part of the long-standing Anglophone problem. Following the suppression of 2016–17 protests by Cameroonian authorities, Ambazonian separatists in the Anglophone regions launched a guerrilla campaign against the Cameroon Armed Forces, and later unilaterally proclaimed independence. In November 2017, the government of Cameroon declared war on the separatists and sent its army into the Anglophone regions.

The Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF) are a military organization that fights for the independence of Ambazonia, a self-declared independent state in the Anglophone regions of the former Southern Cameroons, Cameroon. It was formally established by the Ambazonia Governing Council (AGovC) on 9 September 2017, the same day as the organization declared a war of independence.

This is a timeline of the Anglophone Crisis during 2017.

This is a timeline of the Anglophone Crisis during 2019.

The Interim Government of Ambazonia is an Ambazonian independence movement, and claims to be the provisional government in exile of the internationally unrecognized state. Formed in the early days of the Anglophone Crisis, the movement has since splintered into several factions that claim to be the legitimate Interim Government.

The Ambazonia Governing Council (AGovC) is an Ambazonian independence movement. The movement has been known as "hardline" compared to other major Ambazonian separatist movements, and unwilling to engage with federalists. Starting off with a complicated relationship with the larger Interim Government of Ambazonia (IG), following the 2019 Ambazonian leadership crisis, the AGovC officially allied itself to the faction of the IG loyal to the first President of Ambazonia, Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe.

Red Dragon is an Ambazonian separatist militia loyal to the Interim Government of Ambazonia, and is part of the Ambazonia Self-Defence Council. It is led by Lekeaka Oliver, and controls most of Lebialem Division in the Southwest Region, where they have driven away the traditional rulers and local administrators.

The Southern Cameroons Liberation Council (SCLC) is an Ambazonian umbrella movement, aiming to unite all Anglophone groups on a common front. As of April 2019, it consists of seven movements.

The Movement for the Restoration of the Independence of Southern Cameroons (MoRISC) is an Ambazonian independence movement. In March 2019, it participated in the All Southern Cameroons People’s General Conference in Washington, D.C., and took part in forming the Southern Cameroons Liberation Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lekeaka Oliver</span> Ambazonian separatist commander (1968–2022)

Lekeaka Oliver, popularly known as Field Marshall, was a Cameroonian army soldier and later an Ambazonian separatist commander and the leader of the Red Dragon militia. His armed group is part of the loosely-structured Ambazonia Self-Defence Council, and is loyal to the Interim Government of Ambazonia. The Red Dragon is mainly active in Lebialem Division, Southwest Region. Oliver was the brother of Chris Anu, former Secretary for Communications of the Interim Government. Throughout his time as a separatist leader, Cameroonian forces erroneously reported that he had been killed three times. He was killed on 12 July 2022, though it remains unclear whether he was killed by Cameroonian forces or in an incident of separatist infighting.

This is a timeline of the Anglophone Crisis during 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Bamenda Clean</span> Part of the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon

Operation Bamenda Clean is an ongoing Cameroonian special counter-insurgency operation in Bamenda, Northwest Region, aimed at preventing armed Ambazonian separatists from operating in the city. By January 2021, Cameroon was gradually achieving what a security analyst at the University of Yaoundé called "relative peace" in Bamenda, and the mayor of the city stated that the operation was succeeding. However, as of March 2021, separatist-imposed ghost towns remained widely respected by the local population, and separatists controlled most roads leading in and out of Bamenda.

This is a timeline of the Anglophone Crisis during 2021.

This is a timeline of the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon during 2022.

Clement Mbashie, better known by his nom de guerre "General No Pity", is an Ambazonian separatist who commands several militant groups, most importantly the Bambalang Marine Forces and Bui Unity Warriors, in the Anglophone Crisis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Bui Clean</span>

Operation Bui Clean, also called Operation Kumbo Clean or Operation Clean Kumbo, was a military offensive conducted by the Cameroon Armed Forces against Ambazonian separatists in Cameroon's Northwest Region from May to June 2021. The operation took place in the context of the Anglophone Crisis.

Ngong Emmanuel, better known by his pseudonym Capo Daniel, is a Ambazonian separatist and political activist who served as member of the Ambazonia Governing Council (AGovC) and deputy commander of the Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF) until 2023. Since his resignation from the AGovC and ADF, he has become the commander of the Ambazonia Dark Forces. Daniel has generally operated from exile in Hong Kong.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mbah Godlove (3 August 2022). "Ground Zero To Dictate Pace Of Revolution After Decisive Meeting". Bareta News. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Moki Edwin Kindzeka (16 February 2022). "Cameroon's Rival Separatist Groups Clash, Kill Fighters". VOA. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Isong Asu (8 October 2021). "General No Pity reserves right to use all means to counter the Francophone dominated army". Cameroon Intelligence Report. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  4. 1 2 Mark Bareta (8 January 2022). "FM No Pity is officially ADF fighter". Bareta News. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 "Insobu Dies: Why Infighting Keeps Taking Away Ambazonia Best Front Warriors". Cameroon News Agency. 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gareth Browne (13 May 2019). "Cameroon's Separatist Movement Is Going International". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  7. ↑ "Crise anglophone : prélats et chefs traditionnels indexés". Actu Cameroun. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  8. ↑ Facebook, Cameroon News Agency, May 14, 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 “These Killings Can Be Stopped” - Abuses by Government and Separatist Groups in Cameroon’s Anglophone Regions, HRW, Jul 18, 2018. Accessed Mar 13, 2019.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Fon Lawrence (5 August 2021). "Southern Cameroons Crisis: Bui Warriors destroy Cameroon gov't military vehicles and weapons". Cameroon Intelligence Report. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  11. 1 2 Cameroon's Anglophone crisis: Red Dragons and Tigers - the rebels fighting for independence, BBC, Oct 4, 2018. Accessed Oct 4, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Opinion: Ambazonia 'Acting President' Says General Ivo Died A Hero". Cameroon News Agency. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  13. ↑ Cameroon: Confusion looms as Ambazonia faction maintains Fako lockdown, Journal du Cameroun, Apr 10, 2019. Accessed Apr 10, 2019.
  14. ↑ ASC Maintains Lockdown Despite SCLC Lift, Cameroon News Agency, Apr 10, 2019. Accessed Apr 11, 2019.
  15. ↑ Fon Lawrence (14 July 2021). "General No Pity: "Our Big Rubbergun will not leave any La Republique soldier alone"". Cameroon Intelligence Report. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  16. ↑ "War in Anglophone regions: Chris Anu officially announces death of brother, Oliver Lekeaka". Cameroon News Agency. 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
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