Bombing in Yaoundé leaves five injured

The Cameroonian capital suffered its third bomb attack in two weeks on Thursday.

A home-made bomb detonated in Cameroon’s capital on Thursday, causing severe injury to five people.

It was the third time in a fortnight that a neighbourhood of Yaoundé had been subjected to a bomb attack.

The BBC reports that the incident happened at around 7.30pm local time (6.30pm GMT) at a popular junction near a bakery in the Rond Point Damas area.

Police said a pressure cooker containing six-and eight-inch iron rods was used to make the bomb to ensure it detonated remotely.

The bomb was then strapped to the battery of a motorcycle. It exploded and injured five persons.

Search for perpetrators

Meanwhile, the police have launched a search in the Rond Point Damas neighbourhood to find the perpetrators.

The search began in homes and later extended to taxis. The police later confirmed that they have made some arrests.

However, they refused to reveal the number of people arrested, insisting that investigations are still ongoing.

Cameroonian forces have been fighting anglophone rebels in western Cameroon since 2016.

Frequent attacks

The Cameroonian capital and other cities have suffered multiple bomb attacks since the start of this year.

In June, a separatist group killed four police officers and injured six others in the English-speaking south-western town of Eyumodjock.

A similar bomb attack took place in April in two villages bordering Nigeria, killing ten civilians.

Two weeks earlier, another terrorist group had killed at least 90 Chadian soldiers on the nearby Boma Peninsula.

The attack caused many residents to flee the towns. Many were left displaced by that explosion.

It is believed that Bokom Haram troops have resurfaced in Cameroon, although the group has not claimed responsibility so far for any of the attacks.

E A Alanore

Source: BBC