 |
| A Cameroonian policeman patrols in Kourgui, in the extreme northern province, west of the Nigerian border, on September 16, 2016 ©Reinnier Kaze (AFP) |
With his finger on the
trigger, ready to fire his weapon in an instant, a policeman keeps an eye on
people passing in the centre of Maroua, capital of Cameroon's Far North region
that has been a target of Boko Haram Islamists.
AFP
report continues:
It's
been more than a year since a string of suicide bombings by the jihadists --
from their stronghold in nearby Borno state in northern Nigeria -- tore through
a bustling central market and a bar last July, killing 33 people and wounding
dozens more.
Security
has been beefed up and there have been fewer attacks, but the people of Maroua
still live in constant fear of another surprise explosion in their midst.
It
was in the popular neighbourhood of "pont vert" (green bridge) that a
young girl last July 25 blew herself up -- Boko Haram increasingly uses female
suicide bombers.
In
this busy marketplace where vendors sell the local beer "bil-bil",
snacks and medicinal products, no one has forgotten that day.
"We
fear more suicide attacks," says Boukar Isma, who sells medicines on the
street.
He
himself was hit by shrapnel during the attack.
"There
is still metal in my body," he says.
Next
to him an elderly man Siddi Founaboui lifts his shirt to show two scars from
wounds on his stomach. "I can't stand up for long... Before, I did masonry
work, but I can't do it any more."
On
Mondays there's a livestock market in Maroua, and police from a special rapid
reaction force are stationed at the two entrances to the marketplace.
"We
are here to secure the area," says one of them asking not to be named.
"Move
on," he says suddenly to a group of shepherds chatting near an entrance.
"We watch to see that no crowds gather outside the market," he says.
 |
|
A
Cameroonian policeman patrols in Maroua, in the extreme northern province, west
of the Nigerian border, on September 16, 2016 ©Reinnier Kaze (AFP)
|
Boko
Haram, who want to establish a caliphate in northern Nigeria, have been waging
an insurgency since 2009. Their battle has spilled across the borders of
neighbouring countries which, including Cameroon, have formed a regional force
to fight back.
One
resident Kidmo Dobe sports a T-shirt which says: "Homage to the victims of
the 'pont-vert' attack, 25 July 2015."
"It's
important not to forget," he says. "The war is not over."
IHS
Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency Centre (JTIC) says Boko Haram carried out 22
attacks into Cameroon, Chad and Niger in 2014 and 62 in 2015, when it aligned
with the Islamic State group.
There
were 41 cross-border attacks this year through the end of August. To combat the
jihadists the Multi-National Joint Task Force of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger
and Benin, has launched operations in the Lake Chad region.
- 'Not easy to forget' -
When
night falls in Maroua, police tell the street vendors and shops to close. Even
those who like late night partying are rarely out after 11:00 pm.
At
Barmare, one of two places hit by suicide bombers on July 22 last year, Moustapha
Sali survived the attack but lost his right eye and his left hand is partially paralyzed.
The
day of the explosion the father of seven was sitting under a tree where traces
of the blast can still be seen.
"I'm
afraid of another attack. It's not easy to forget what happened," says the
former carpenter, who spent four months in hospital.
"The attack completely
changed my life. Before I did everything. Now I don't do anything."
No comments:
Post a Comment