Belgium has taken three individuals into custody over their suspected role in leading a Cameroon-based separatist militia, in an investigation probing potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The federal prosecutor’s office said the suspects are believed to be key figures in the Ambazonia Defence Forces, which has been fighting for the independence of Cameroon’s North-West and South-West regions since 2017.
These areas are English-speaking enclaves in a country that is predominantly French-speaking.
"Money is reportedly being raised for the armed struggle and for the purchase of arms and ammunition, and instructions for attacks… are said to be given from Belgium," prosecutors said, highlighting the international reach of the alleged operations.
The arrests come amid growing concern over the long-standing conflict in Cameroon, which the United Nations estimates has killed more than 6,500 people over the past decade. Human rights groups have accused both the separatist fighters and government forces of serious abuses.
Belgian authorities said four people were initially detained following coordinated searches in Antwerp and the Flemish town of Londerzeel on Sunday. ''Three of the suspects were remanded in custody by the investigating judge," the prosecutor’s office stated, without providing further details on the fourth individual.
The investigation, which began last year, is focused on individuals living in Belgium suspected of holding leadership positions within the Ambazonia Defence Forces. Officials are examining whether decisions or support allegedly coordinated from Belgium contributed to crimes committed in Cameroon.
These developments follow similar probes in Norway and the United States, reflecting broader international efforts to hold separatist leaders accountable for the conflict.
Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis started in 2016, when English-speaking lawyers and teachers protested against the dominance of French in courts and schools. The situation escalated in 2017 after activists declared the independence of Ambazonia, triggering armed confrontations between rebels and government forces.
The United Nations reports that the unrest has displaced more than 490,000 people, left over 1.5 million in need of humanitarian aid, and caused thousands of deaths.
President Paul Biya, who has been in power for over 40 years, insists that his government has made efforts to resolve the crisis but faces criticism for its handling of the conflict and restrictions on political freedoms.
