Soldiers charged with killing nine civilians in Cameroon

The army in Cameroon has confirmed that soldiers have killed nine civilians, including an 18-month-old girl.

An army spokesman said a group of soldiers opened fire when they encountered hostile villagers in Missong, in the country’s North-West region, earlier this month.

The spokesman described the use of weapons as “inappropriate and manifestly disproportionate”.

Cameroon’s ministry of defence says four soldiers have been arrested following the shooting.

An investigation has been launched into the killings.

In the same region two years ago, 21 civilians including 13 children and a pregnant woman were killed by Cameroonian soldiers in the village of Ngarbuh.

Two soldiers and a gendarme were later charged with murder, arson, destruction, violence against a pregnant woman and disobeying orders.

But human rights organisations denounced a slow, unfair trial and the absence of the top army officials among the accused persons.