Amnesty International said on Thursday it had "credible evidence" that the gunmen executing civilians in a viral internet video are Cameroonian soldiers, calling for an "impartial investigation".
"An investigation by Amnesty International experts has gathered credible evidence (proving) that it is Cameroonian soldiers (who are in) the video depicting the horrific summary executions of two women and two young children", indicated the NGO in a press release.
On Wednesday, the Cameroonian government said it had opened an investigation after a video was broadcast on social networks showing armed men, suspected Cameroonian soldiers, executing two women and their children, accused of being accomplices of the Nigerian jihadist group Boko Haram. .
Some people are clearly identifiable
However, the video was described as “fake news” and “horrible fakery” by government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary.
Calls for an impartial investigation
This statement by the spokesperson “does not stand up to investigation”, Amnesty said on Thursday, ensuring that it could provide evidence to the contrary.
The uniforms worn by the men in the video are “commonly worn by personnel of the Cameroonian army”, Amnesty in particular advances, Mr. Tchiroma having affirmed the opposite.
The video “could have been filmed in the Mayo Tsanaga area, in the Far North region of Cameroon”, still thinks the NGO, stressing that there is a Cameroonian military base not far away, in Mozogo.
The Cameroonian army is engaged in the Far North region to counter frequent incursions by fighters from the Nigerian jihadist group.
“Some people are clearly identifiable” in the video, wrote in the press release Samira Daoud, director of the West Africa office of Amnesty, calling for an “impartial investigation” so that the soldiers allegedly responsible do not “get away with impunity”. 'such a heinous act'.
The broadcast on Tuesday of this very violent video caused controversy and indignation on social networks.
A local NGO, the Network of Human Rights Defenders in Central Africa (Rhedac), said on Wednesday that it had "cross-checked" the information contained in this video, saying it was able to attest to its "authenticity".
The Cameroonian army is regularly accused by NGOs of perpetrating abuses against people suspected of belonging to the Boko Haram group, which it has always denied.
