Belgium Authorities Arrest Three Leaders of Ambazonia Defence Forces Over Alleged War Crimes in Cameroon’s Anglophone Conflict
Breaking developments in Belgium have intensified global attention on Cameroon’s nearly decade‑long Anglophone conflict. Belgian prosecutors announced the arrest of three suspected leaders of the Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF), a separatist militia fighting for the independence of Cameroon’s two English‑speaking regions. The arrests, made during coordinated searches in Antwerp and Londerzeel, follow a probe into possible crimes against humanity and war crimes linked to the conflict. Authorities allege that funds for the armed struggle, as well as instructions for attacks, were being coordinated from Belgium.
This marks a significant step in international accountability. The Belgian investigation, launched last summer after a tip from Norwegian judicial authorities, is part of a wider effort involving Norway and the United States. In Norway, prominent separatist leader Ayaba Cho Lucas remains in pretrial detention, while U.S. prosecutors have indicted alleged ADF leaders for financing and directing attacks from abroad.
The Anglophone crisis began in 2016 with strikes by lawyers and teachers protesting the use of French in courts and schools. By 2017, separatist fighters declared the independent state of “Ambazonia,” sparking a violent conflict that has killed more than 6,500 people, displaced nearly 490,000, and left 1.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations.
Human rights groups have consistently accused both separatist fighters and state forces of committing widespread abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and attacks on civilians. The arrests in Belgium highlight the growing recognition that diaspora networks play a critical role in sustaining the conflict, raising funds and allegedly directing operations from abroad.
For Cameroon, these developments underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive accountability framework. While President Paul Biya’s government insists it has made efforts to resolve the crisis, critics point to ongoing restrictions on political freedoms and the lack of meaningful dialogue with Anglophone communities.
The Human Rights and Legal Research Centre stresses that justice must be pursued on all fronts, whether state actors or nonstate actors and against perpetrators at the national and international level. International cooperation, impartial investigations, and survivor‑centered justice mechanisms are essential to breaking the cycle of impunity.
The arrests in Belgium, Norway, and the U.S. send a clear message: the world is watching, and accountability for crimes committed in Anglophone conflict will not be confined by borders.
Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
