AFCON 2022: Clouds of conflict in Cameroon looms large over Africa Cup of Nations

By Team Newsable | First Published Jan 3, 2022, 5:23 PM IST

The Africa Cup of Nations 2022 gets underway from Sunday. However, Cameroon’s conflict has raised concerns over the venue. Meanwhile, the venues are being reinforced with securities.

The 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is upon us, as the tournament gets underway in Cameron from Sunday. However, the threat of an internal conflict is looming large over the venues in the host nation, especially in the South West Region, Limbe. As a result, the venues are being reinforced with an extra layer of security, as separatist militants threaten to disrupt the competition.

Six cities of the country will play host to the AFFCON. However, Limbe is an unsafe territory and security could be compromised, considering the surrounding area of the Atlantic coast facing attacks from armed rebels since the war that has been raging since 2017. Armed groups intend to break away from the Ambazonia state and have killed 3,000 people, while nearly a million have been forced to flee. Also, violence has been rising since the separatists have been using improvised explosives, reports Reuters.

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Besides the separatist threat, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has also been terrorising of late. The region’s Omnisport Stadium will be hosting the Group F matches, comprising Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania and Gambia. Also, the adjoining area of Buea had seen a couple of explosions in November last year.

While the authorities have not divulged the security plans, they have assured that there will be no disruptions to the games. Security personnel have already reinforced the significant intersections, while checkpoints have also been set up at roads leading to the city. “AFCON will take place in perfect conditions. There are no grounds for concern,” a senior official of Fako territory, Emmanuel Ledoux Engamba, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

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