U.S. ambassador to Cameroon, Peter Henry Barlerin with President Paul Biya (Agency)

London, May 19, 2018 (AltAfrika)-United States has accused Paul Biya government of “targeted killings”, arson and looting in its fight against a separatist movement in Anglophone Cameroon.

In a statement following a meeting with President Paul Biya on Thursday, the U.S. ambassador to Cameroon, Peter Henry Barlerin, called for dialogue to end an 18-month-old conflict.

English-speaking rebels have killed over 20 gendarmes and tens of thousands of people, mostly English-speakers, have fled to Nigeria to escape army reprisals.

The unrest has destabilised the mostly French-speaking Central African oil producer, months before an election in which Biya will seek to extend his 35-year-old rule.

In February, soldiers burned down houses with people inside and shot unarmed residents as part of a military offensive to root out the separatists in the Northwest and Southwest regions

The Cameroon army and government have denied mistreatment of the English-speaking minority.

He said Cameroon authorities had authorised “targeted killings, detentions without access to legal support … and burning and looting of villages”.

The separatists have committed “murders of gendarmes, kidnapping of government officials, and burning of schools”, he said.

Leading separatists have claimed responsibility for such attacks.

What started as peaceful protests in late 2016 calling for greater representation for Cameroon’s English-speaking regions has morphed into a full blown secessionist insurgency, partly in response to the government’s clampdown on demonstrations.

Witnesses and rights groups have said the army has used helicopter gunships to fire on protesters, allegations the government denies.

NAN