More than 30 women abducted by unknown men in Cameroon have been released in recent days, according to a Ministry of Social Affairs report.
The women were reportedly tortured while in captivity. The government has not yet released any details about their captors or the circumstances around their release.
The release of the women follows days of uprisings by the local population in Cameroon’s western region of Anglophone, who were protesting the kidnapping and other human rights violations by the government.
The ministry’s report stated that the women had been released “in good health.” However, it was not immediately clear if any of the women were rescued.
In the days leading up to the release of the women, there were reports of many other kidnappings of citizens in the western part of Cameroon, and of torture and killings by the government.
The US State Department has expressed deep concern about the reports of human rights abuses in Cameroon and called on the government to end the violence against its citizens and investigate any cases of abuse.
While the release of the women is a welcome step, it is important that the ongoing human rights violations in the region are addressed in order to ensure lasting peace and security for the people of Cameroon.
