List of Ambazonian militant groups
Following is a list of militant groups fighting for the independence of Ambazonia, commonly referred to locally as "Amba Boys". It should be recalled that there are other groups involved but their tactics remain nonviolent. Due to the obscure nature of many of the smaller groups, this list will remain incomplete until more information becomes available.
List[]
Name of group | Part of (if applicable) |
Political allegiance (if applicable) |
Commander(s) | Strength |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ambaland Forces[1] | N/A | ? | ? | 10–30 (by 2018)[2] |
Ambaland Quifor[3] | ? | ? | Silas Zama[3] | 200 (by 2019)[3] |
Ambazonia Defence Forces[4] | N/A | Ambazonia Governing Council (in turn allied with the Ayuk Tabe loyalist faction of the Interim Government since 2020)[5] |
Ayaba Cho Lucas[6] Benedict Nwana Kuah[6][3] Ivo Mbah †[7] "General Efang" ("Big Number")[8] Daniel Caapo[9] "Major General King Commando"[10] "General Manboy"[10] "General Cross and Die" †[11] |
200–500 (by 2019)[3] |
Ambazonia Intelligence Forces[12] | Ambazonia Self-Defence Council | ? | ? | ? |
Ambazonia Restoration Army[13] | Ambazonia Self-Defence Council | Southern Cameroons Liberation Council (Interim Government) | Paxson Agbor[14] | a few dozen (by 2019)[3] |
Bambalang Marine Forces[15] | ? | ? | "General No Pity"[16] | ? |
Black Hearts of Banga Bakundu[17] | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Bui Warriors[18] | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Dongang Mantung self defense group[3] | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Fako Action Forces[19] | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Fako-Meme Black Tar Council[20] | ? | ? | Augustine Ambe ("General Above the Law") †[20] | ? |
Fako Mountain Lions[21] | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Gorilla Fighters[22] | ? | ? | "General Ayeke" †[23] | ? |
Jaguars of Bamessing[24] | ? | ? | "General Sagard"[24] | ? |
Menchum Fall Warriors[3] | ? | ? | ? | a few dozen (by 2019)[3] |
Manyu Ghost Warriors[25] | Ambazonia Self-Defence Council | Southern Cameroons Liberation Council (Interim Government) | Martin Ashu[3] | 500 (by 2019)[3] |
Ngoketundjia Defence Council[26] | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Red Dragon[13] | Ambazonia Self-Defence Council[27] | Southern Cameroons Liberation Council (Interim Government) | "Field Marshall" Lekeaka Oliver[3] "General Ayekeah" †[28] |
200 (by 2019)[3] |
Seven Karta[13] | Ambazonia Self-Defence Council | Southern Cameroons Liberation Council (Interim Government) | "General Alhaji" †[29] "General Peace Plant" †[29] |
200 (by 2019)[3] |
Southern Cameroons Defence Forces[1] | Aligned with, but not officially part of, the Ambazonia Self-Defence Council | Southern Cameroons Liberation Council (APLM) | Ebenezer Akwanga[6] Andrew Ngoe †[30] "General Opopo" [31] "General Jason"[31] |
400 (by 2019)[3] |
Southern Cameroons Restoration Forces (also known as "Southern Cameroons Defence Forces")[3] | Ambazonia Self-Defence Council[27] | Southern Cameroons Liberation Council (Interim Government) | Nso Foncha Nkem[6] "General RK"[3] "General Chacha" †[32] |
100 (by 2019)[3] |
Ten-Ten[3] | ? | ? | "General Ten-Ten" | 50 (by 2019)[3] |
Tigers of Ambazonia[13][6] | Ambazonia Self-Defence Council | Southern Cameroons Liberation Council (Interim Government) | ? | ? |
The Sword of Ambazonia (TSOA)[3] | ? | ? | ? | 200 (by 2019)[3] |
Vipers[1] | N/A | ? | ? | a few dozen (by 2019)[3] |
White Tigers[3] | ? | ? | ? | 50 (by 2019)[3] |
Warriors of Nso[3] | ? | ? | ? | 100 (by 2019)[3] |
One Touch[6] | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Isakabas[6] | ? | ? | ? | ? |
More than 20 unnamed militias[3] | ? | ? | Notable individual leaders whose affiliation could not be verified include: Ekeom Polycarb [33] "General Nyambere" [34] "General Divine" †[35] Richard Nformumbang Ndango[36] ("General Fire"/"General Fire Man") †[37] "General Action Man" †[38] "General Mendo Ze" †[39] "General Satan"[3] Agbor Oscar Nkeng[40] "Eugène"[3] "General Obi" †[41] Luca Fonteh ("General Mad Dog") †[42] "General Okoro" †[43] "Bush General" (POW)[43] "General Sweet Tuma" (POW)[36] "General Lion" †[44] Celestine Wanche ("T-Boy") †[20] "General Goddy Elangwe" [45] "General Asan" †[46] "General Nokia" (POW)[47] "General Spirito" †[48] "General Blink" †[49] "General Idi Amin Dada" †[49] "General Cobra" (POW)[49] "General Black Mamba"[50] "General King Commando" †[51] Bessong Eugene †[52] Mbu Princely Tabe[52] |
Hundreds, split into dozens of groups (by 2019)[3] |
References[]
- ^ a b c Who are Cameroon's English-speaking separatists?, Daily Nation, Feb 20, 2018. Accessed Apr 22, 2018.
- ^ Dialogue is Essential to Unite Cameroon’s Disparate Voices, International Crisis Group, Jul 27, 2018. Accessed Mar 13, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis: How to Get to Talks?, Crisis Group, May 2, 2019. Accessed May 2, 2019.
- ^ "Ambazonia defense forces". Cameroon Journal. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
- ^ Ahead of peace talks, a who’s who of Cameroon’s separatist movement, The New Humanitarian, Jul 8, 2020. Accessed Jul 9, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g DeLancey, DeLancey & Mbuh 2019, p. 48.
- ^ Cameroon says armed separatist commander among 4 killed in troubled Anglophone zone, Xinhuanet, Dec 21, 2018. Accessed Mar 11, 2019.
- ^ Un « général » ambazonien présente ses excuses aux populations du Nord-ouest et du Sud-ouest, Le Bled Parle, Mar 7, 2021. Accessed Mar 8, 2021. (French)
- ^ Separatist Movements in Nigeria and Cameroon Are Joining Forces, Foreign Policy, May 20, 2021. Accessed May 20, 2021.
- ^ a b Mimi Mefo (22 October 2021). "Commander Manboy of Momo set ablaze a military pick up and confiscate weapons and ammunitions". Mimi Mefo. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ "Crise anglophone: un «général» ambazonien abattu par l'armée dans le Nord-Ouest". Actu Cameroun. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ Facebook, Cameroon News Agency, May 31, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Cameroon's Anglophone crisis: Red Dragons and Tigers - the rebels fighting for independence, BBC, Oct 4, 2018. Accessed Oct 4, 2018.
- ^ Cameroon’s Crises,Crisis Group briefing to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Jun 15, 2018. Accessed Mar 13, 2019.
- ^ Cameroon: Ambazonia General No Pity killed in restive North West region, Journal du Cameroun, Mar 24, 2020. Accessed Mar 25, 2020.
- ^ Facebook, Cameroon News Agency, May 25, 2021.
- ^ Twitter, Cameroon News Agency, Aug 9, 2020.
- ^ Ambazonia Restoration Forces Use Nso Fon As Prisoner Of War, Demands Release Of Amba Leaders, Cameroon News Agency, Nov 7, 2020. Accessed Nov 7, 2020.
- ^ Chan 2021: Explosions at Limbe stadium days before Tanzania opener - Reports, Goal, Jan 15, 2020. Accessed Jan 16, 2020.
- ^ a b c Cameroon:Two suspected Ambazonia separatists killed in restive South West Region, Journal du Cameroun, Feb 9, 2021. Accessed Feb 9, 2021.
- ^ Twitter, Cameroon News Agency, May 16, 2021.
- ^ Gov’t Forces Kill Ambazonia General Ayeke, Cameroon News Agency, Oct 13, 2020. Accessed Oct 14, 2020.
- ^ Cameroon: Notorious separatist fighter “General” Ayeke killed in Lebialem, Journal du Cameroun, Oct 13, 2020. Accessed Oct 13, 2020.
- ^ a b Ariane Foguem (17 September 2021). "Anglophone crisis: About 15 soldiers perish in Amba ambush in Sabga". Agence Cameroun Presse. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ “These Killings Can Be Stopped” - Abuses by Government and Separatist Groups in Cameroon’s Anglophone Regions, HRW, Jul 18, 2018. Accessed Mar 13, 2019.
- ^ Bui Warriors Set Conditions For Nso Fon To Return To Palace, Cameroon News Agency, Nov 10, 2020. Accessed Nov 11, 2020.
- ^ a b Gareth Browne (13 May 2019). "Cameroon's Separatist Movement Is Going International". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ Cameroon: ‘Ambazonia General’ killed in Lebialem, Journal du Cameroun, Mar 21, 2019. Accessed Dec 24, 2019.
- ^ a b Cameroon's key separatist commander killed in troubled region, XinhuaNet, May 3, 2020. Accessed May 3, 2020.
- ^ Cameroon: ‘Ambazonia General’ killed in Matoh, Journal du Cameroun, Jan 24, 2019. Accessed Jan 24, 2019.
- ^ a b SOCADEF of Matoh introduces new General and recruits armed with sophisticated weapons, Mimi Mefo Infos, Sep 19, 2021. Accessed Sep 21, 2021.
- ^ Cameroon’s Anglophone Separatists Turn to Infighting, Voice of America, Jan 22, 2020. Accessed Jan 23, 2020.
- ^ Cameroon: Ambazonia General drop weapons in restive North West region, Journal du Cameroun, Oct 16, 2019. Accessed Oct 16, 2019.
- ^ Cameroon Receives First Returning Asylum-Seekers, Ex-Separatists from Nigeria, Voice of America, Jan 2, 2020. Accessed Jan 2, 2020.
- ^ Cameroon:’Ambazonia General’ killed by peers in SW Region, Journal du Cameroun, Jan 6, 2020. Accessed Jan 6, 2020.
- ^ a b Cameroun : L’Armée neutralise deux hommes armés lors d’un raid à Bamenda, Le Bled Parle, Feb 2, 2021. Accessed Feb 2, 2021. (French)
- ^ Only Ambazonia General Was Killed In Small Babanki, The Rest Were Civilians-Witnesses, Cameroon News Agency, Mar 1, 2020. Accessed Mar 2, 2020.
- ^ 20 separatists killed in military offensive in Cameroon's troubled Anglophone region, Trend News Agency, Mar 22, 2020. Accessed Mar 22, 2020.
- ^ "CrisisWatch October 2020", International Crisis Group, OCt 2020. Accessed Nov 28, 2020.
- ^ Cameroon: 11 new civilians freed from Amba captivity in restive SW, Journal du Cameroun, Oct 19, 2020. Accessed Oct 19, 2020.
- ^ "CrisisWatch June 2020", International Crisis Group, Jun 2020. Accessed Jul 29, 2020.
- ^ Cameroon: Late Amba ‘General Mad Dog’ killed over 100 in NW region – Military, Journal du Cameroun, Sep 7, 2020. Accessed Sep 7, 2020.
- ^ a b Cameroon: ‘Ambazonia General’ killed as soldiers recover weapons in Awing, Pinyin raids, Journal du Cameroun, Jul 20, 2020. Accessed Jul 20, 2020.
- ^ Moki Edwin Kindzeka (7 February 2021). "Cameroon Military Says It Has Freed 4, Including 2 Students". Voice of America. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ Separatist commander surrenders to Cameroonian authorities, News Ghana, Mar 3, 2021. Accessed Mar 3, 2021.
- ^ Cameroon:’Ambazonia General’, 11 others neutralised in military operation in restive NW Region, Journal du Cameroun, Mar 5, 2021. Accessed Mar 5, 2021.
- ^ "CrisisWatch March 2021", International Crisis Group, Mar 2021. Accessed Apr 11, 2020.
- ^ Crise anglophone : un « général ambazonien » tué dans un raid du BIR, Actu Cameroun, Mar 20, 2021. Accessed Mar 20, 2021. (French)
- ^ a b c "CrisisWatch April 2021". International Crisis Group. April 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ^ Biafra group reacts as Nigerian forces arrest separatist commander, Gen. Black Mamba, others, Daily Post Nigeria, Jun 25, 2021. Accessed Jun 25, 2021.
- ^ "Crise anglophone: l'armée neutralise le « General King Commando » de Momo". Actu Cameroun. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Cameroon Releases MSF Health Workers Held After Helping Rebel Leader". Voice of America. 28 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
Works cited[]
- DeLancey, Mark Dike; DeLancey, Mark W.; Mbuh, Rebecca Neh, eds. (2019). Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Cameroon (5th ed.). London: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1538119679.
Categories:
- Military of Ambazonia
- National liberation movements in Africa
- Secessionist organizations