Four armed separatists arrested over murder of Cameroonian army officer

separatists

YAOUNDE, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Four armed separatists suspected of murdering an officer of the Cameroon armed forces were captured on Monday in Muyuka, a locality in the troubled English-speaking region of Southwest, according to the army.

They were ambushed and arrested in their camp by the military who also seized their weapons. The operation was successful thanks to the collaboration of the public, the army said.

The officer Jean Noel Ndongo was kidnapped by the separatists and then buried alive in the locality last week, according to security reports.

The murder was widely condemned in Cameroon after the suspects filmed the gruesome act and posted the video online.

More than 300 government security force members have been killed since an armed conflict started in the English-speaking regions of Northwest and Southwest in 2017, according to the army.

Separatists want to secede from the majority French-speaking Cameroon and create an independent nation in the Anglophone regions they call "Ambazonia".