The Ministry of Defense, MINDEF, has distance herself from recent viral images and videos circulated across social media platforms and reported by some online media organs, alleging massacre of innocent civilians by defense and security forces.
Reacting to the allegations through a release issued 29 March 2021, the MINDEF Head of the Communication Division, Navy Captain Atonfack Guemo Cyrille Serge, clearly qualifies it as “absolute hoax”.
He explained that there were actually two patrols of soldiers that were simultaneously attacked on March 26, 2021 in the localities of Kumbo, in Bui Division, North West region and in the Mbonge, Meme Division South West region.
He said the detachment of the 3rd Rapid Intervention Battalion surprised armed criminals at about 9a.m. while robbing the population in Kumbo and panic-stricken as they were, the criminals immediately opened fire on the soldiers who responded swiftly and vigorously.
“The outcome of this violent clash was four terrorist neutralized and others wounded who took to their heels, several weapons and munitions of war recovered,” he revealed adding that “among the neutralized terrorists are four of the leaders of the gang that paraded Kumbo and its vicinities, namely Wirisi Emmanuel Binynuy, SHE SHE Fabrice, Francois Tamba and Camer Kununyin”.
He said the patrol mission along the Mbonge-Kumba which also came under attack from “heavily armed criminal gang” in the morning of March 26, 2021 comprised elements of the 21st Battalion of Marine Fusiliers Commandos. The clash he revealed ended with two terrorist neutralized, five improvised explosive devices, remote detonators and several weapons of war recovered.
“A few hours after the vigorous responses of Kumbo and Mbonge, the secessionists propaganda supported as usual by certain media and national and international NGOs, were all echoing an alleged massacre perpetrated by the defence and security forces in Mbomge on March 2021,” the release read, stating that circulated images were strangely those of an operation carried out successfully by soldiers 18 March 2021 in Foe Bakundu which led to the neutralization of six terrorists including the famous self-proclaimed general “Spirito”.
The MINDEF categorically stated that: “After the departure of the defence forces from the theater of the clash, some surviving terrorists had forcibly gathered the frightened population on the village square to ridiculously reconstruct in morbid postures, what today is unfortunately and awkwardly brandished as evidence of massacre”.
The Army Spokesman stated that this new farce from separatists will in no way weaken the morale of the armed forces who, continue to operate across the country with respect for human and people rights, while ensuring that any deviation is sanctioned in accordance with the laws and regulations of the country.
By Doh Bertrand Nua
No comments:
Post a Comment