Country Summary

The Republic of Cameroon originally declared that there were no mined areas under its jurisdiction or control, and its initial Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 clearance deadline expired in 2013. However, since 2014, victim-activated improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have caused casualties, particularly in northern districts along the border with Nigeria. Cameroon has yet to clarify the extent of contamination from improvised mines, though it is believed to be small.

Since 2016, Cameroon has experienced a protracted armed conflict between opposing anglophone separatists in the Northwest and Southwest regions and the francophone government.[1] Increased use of IEDs in both regions has been reported.[2] The Boko Haram insurgency in northeast Nigeria has also spilled over into Cameroon’s Far North region due to the porous nature of the border. The United Nations (UN) has reported indications of the transfer of components and methodologies in IED use between the two countries.[3]

Cameroon does not have a functioning mine action program, but state security forces have been trained in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) by France, Russia, and the United States (US). Cameroon did not report any risk education activities in 2021.

There was no specific victim assistance program in Cameroon. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) continued to support the only hospital providing surgical services.[4] Ongoing insecurity, and a lack of capacity and resources, meant that access to healthcare and rehabilitation was limited.

Management and Coordination

Cameroon does not have a functioning mine action program. In 2021, the in-country Protection Cluster coordinator requested the establishment of a Mine Action Area of Responsibility (AoR) in Cameroon, in response to the escalating threat to civilians and humanitarian workers posed by IEDs.[5] As of November 2022, no progress has been made in this regard. 

In June 2021, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) highlighted the “urgent need for awareness raising on risk education in schools, and sensitization of community members particularly school children and caregivers, on improvised explosive devices (IED) risk and mitigation measures.”[6]

Impact

Contamination

Landmine contamination

The extent of mine contamination in Cameroon is not known. There are no legacy minefields, and incidents involving explosive remnants of war (ERW) were reported infrequently.[7] Since 2014, improvised mines have caused casualties, particularly in the Northwest, Southwest, and Far North regions. Yet it is not clear whether these devices meet the definition of improvised antipersonnel mines. Cameroonian military officials reported in 2015 that “huge” numbers of landmines had been planted by Boko Haram along Cameroon’s border with Nigeria, posing a threat to civilians, livestock, and soldiers. They also reported recurrent use of landmines along the road between Kerawa and Kolofata, targeting military vehicles.^[8] The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has identified use of improvised mines in Cameroon since 2016.[9]

Reports in 2020–2021 by local media and humanitarian organizations showed that IED trigger mechanisms used in Cameroon were diverse, and included body-borne IEDs carried by women and children, and command-detonated IEDs. Use of improvised antivehicle and antipersonnel mines was reported.[10] An increase in IED use was reported during 2021 in the Northwest and Southwest regions, targeting state security forces but also placing civilians and humanitarian workers at risk, while preventing humanitarian access.[11]

IED and improvised mine contamination restricted movement and impeded access to services and livelihoods, and posed a particular threat to internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, and returnees, who had fled to unfamiliar areas or returned to their areas of residency unaware of contamination.[12]

Cross-border contamination

Between August 2019 and July 2021, there were “indications of the transfer of components and methodologies for the use of improvised explosive devices across borders and regions between Cameroon and Nigeria which underscored the need for a regional and multidisciplinary response.”[13]

Casualties

The total number of mine/ERW casualties in Cameroon is not known. Between 2014 and 2021, the Monitor recorded a total of 207 min/ERW casualties; including 87 killed and 120 injured. [14]

Casualties in 2021[15]

 Note: ERW=explosive remnants of war.

The Monitor recorded 14 casualties in Cameroon in 2021, marking a decrease from 32 in 2020 and 43 in 2019.

However, the proportion of civilian casualties increased over the same period. In 2021, all reported mine/ERW casualties were civilians, compared to 78% in 2020 and 48% in 2019.

It is not clear whether all of the casualties recorded in 2021 and in previous years were the result of improvised antipersonnel mines, due to the lack of information available on trigger mechanisms. Casualties were mainly located in the Far North and Northwest regions.

Addressing the Impact

Mine action

Operators and service providers

Cameroon has two national clearance operators: the Military Engineer Corps, and the military police or “gendarmerie,” which was reported by UNMAS in April 2017 to be developing an EOD capacity. A capacity for battle area clearance (BAC) and spot tasks was also reported to be required.[16]

From June 2018 to June 2019, more than 1,400 members of Cameroon’s security forces were trained in EOD by the Francophone International Police Training Network (Réseau international francophone de formation policière, FRANCOPOL).[17] This followed the earlier training of 25 Cameroonian soldiers by the French and US militaries in Level 4 EOD, from March–April 2018.[18] Since 2015, Cameroon was reported to have received demining and EOD training and equipment from Russia and the US.[19]

In June 2021, 14 military sappers, including one woman, completed training in IED disposal.[20]

Clearance

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Cameroon was required to destroy all antipersonnel landmines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 March 2013. Despite reports of improvised mine incidents in recent years, Cameroon has not reported on the nature or extent of this contamination nor requested an extension to its clearance deadline.

It is not known if, or to what extent, clearance or EOD has been undertaken in affected areas. In October 2019, Cameroon appealed for international support to boost its mine clearance and technical survey capacity.[21]

In May 2021, following an increase in IED incidents in the Northwest and Southwest regions, Cameroon’s Minister of Defense said special troops were being deployed to detect and destroy IEDs.[22]

In November 2021, IED spot task operations were carried out on the Kerawa-Nigeria road in Mayo-Sava department, Far North province.[23]

Risk education

Cameroon did not report any risk education activities in 2021.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) identified the need to develop a risk education strategy for the Far North region to benefit refugees and IDPs, as well as host communities.[24]

In 2021, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) highlighted the need for risk education in schools and communities.[25] In 2022, it reported that a lack of funding and partner capacity was preventing the implementation of activities in the Far North and North Regions.[26]

Local communities in conflict-affected areas were exposed to mine/ERW risk, while IDPs and refugees were at high risk in areas they were unfamiliar with. IDPs and refugees were hard to reach due to the unpredictability of their movements, including in areas that were inaccessible to humanitarian operators due to insecurity.[27]

Victim assistance

There is no victim assistance program in Cameroon. The ICRC continues to support the health sector. In 2021, insecurity, a government-imposed curfew, and the COVID-19 pandemic led to overcrowded facilities and limited access to health services.[28]

The Mada Hospital, in the Logone-et-Chari department, Far North region, was the only facility providing surgical services. ICRC supported the Mada Hospital and covered the cost of surgery for patients injured by weapons. It also supported primary healthcare centers in the Far North region, despite ongoing insecurity.[29]

UNICEF provided access to mental health and psychosocial support services for children and caregivers.[30] In 2022, a lack of funding and local capacity prevented UNICEF from conducting mental health and psychosocial support activities in the Far North and North regions.[31]