Kenyan Priest Killed in Cross-Fire in Cameroon

A Kenyan priest stationed at a parish in Cameroon’s troubled South-West region has been killed.

He was caught in cross-fire between government forces and separatists, according to a local official.

“Some villagers say he was shot by the gendarmes. Others say he was shot by separatists. We are still investigating,” said Eyumojock’s Divisional Officer, Moloka Egbe.

He added that the separatists had climbed up trees in order to shoot at the security forces who were fighting from their armoured cars.

“It was within the context of the fighting that the priest was shot, right in front of his office.”

A soldier was shot in the eye during the exchange of gunfire and is now receiving treatment in hospital.

“It’s difficult to know whether the separatists incurred any casualties since they strike and run back into the forests,” Mr Egbe said.

The recent killing comes just 11 days after the burial of an American missionary, Charles Trumman Wesco, who was killed in nearby Bamenda.

In October, a 19-year-old seminarian was killed in Kumbo, North-West region, while a group of religious sisters were kidnapped in the same region by suspected separatists earlier in the month.

Source: BBC