Red Dragon (Ambazonian Militia) on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Red Dragon is an Ambazonian separatist militia loyal to the Interim Government of Ambazonia, and is part of the Ambazonia Self-Defence Council.Cameroon's Anglophone crisis: Red Dragons and Tigers - the rebels fighting for independence
BBC, Oct 4, 2018. Accessed Oct 4, 2018. It was led by Lekeaka Oliver,Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis: How to Get to Talks?
Crisis Group, May 2, 2019. Accessed May 2, 2019. and controlled most of Lebialem Division in the Southwest Region, driving away the traditional rulers and local administrators.Cameroon: Secessionist leader returns to challenge Yaoundé
The African Report, Nov 15, 2019. Accessed Nov 22, 2019. The group was greatly weakened in 2022, with Oliver being killed.
Journal du Cameroun, Jan 2, 2019. Accessed Jan 2, 2019. as well as by sources within the Cameroonian Army. Oliver resurfaced in a video a week later, proving that reports of his death were indeed false.Cameroon: Three gendarmes killed in Mbelenka
Journal du Cameroun, Jan 4, 2018. Accessed Jan 4, 2018. In March 2019, the Cameroonian Army claimed to had killed "General Ayekeah" of the Red Dragons, as well as two fighters who tried to intervene. However, "General Ayekeah" subsequently reemerged as the leader of another insurgent force, the "Alou Guerilla Fighters". In October 2019, Lekeaka Oliver declared himself Paramount Ruler of Lebialem, drawing condemnation from traditional rulers of the subdivision. Cameroon subsequently launched raids into Lebialem in a failed attempt to capture or kill Oliver, leading to casualties on both sides.
Voice of America, Oct 21, 2019. Accessed Oct 22, 2019. In October 2020, the Cameroonian security forces finally killed "General Ayekeah"; this left the Red Dragon militia under Oliver the dominant rebel group in Lebialem. At this point, journalist Atia T. Azohwi stated that Oliver had succeeded in securing a "territory where his word is law". According to the news site ''Susa Africa'', the Red Dragon had also become part of the "Lebialem Defence Force".
In February 2021, Red Dragon fighters killed at least three traditional rulers in Essoh Attah, Lebialem. In the Ambazonian leadership crisis, the Red Dragons sided with the faction loyal to Samuel Ikome Sako. The Restoration Council, the legislative arm of the Interim Government, split from Sako's faction in early 2022 and later declared that Marianta Njomia had replaced Sako as president. The Red Dragons now appear to be loyal to Marianta's faction.
Cameroonian security forces including the Rapid Intervention Battalion reportedly located Oliver in
BBC, Oct 4, 2018. Accessed Oct 4, 2018. It was led by Lekeaka Oliver,Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis: How to Get to Talks?
Crisis Group, May 2, 2019. Accessed May 2, 2019. and controlled most of Lebialem Division in the Southwest Region, driving away the traditional rulers and local administrators.Cameroon: Secessionist leader returns to challenge Yaoundé
The African Report, Nov 15, 2019. Accessed Nov 22, 2019. The group was greatly weakened in 2022, with Oliver being killed.
History
On 31 December 2018, the Cameroonian Army claimed to have killed Field Marshal Lekeaka Oliver in Lebialem. His death was quickly denied by the Interim Government of Ambazonia,Cameroon: Mystery surrounds ‘reported death of Ambazonia’s Field Marshall’Journal du Cameroun, Jan 2, 2019. Accessed Jan 2, 2019. as well as by sources within the Cameroonian Army. Oliver resurfaced in a video a week later, proving that reports of his death were indeed false.Cameroon: Three gendarmes killed in Mbelenka
Journal du Cameroun, Jan 4, 2018. Accessed Jan 4, 2018. In March 2019, the Cameroonian Army claimed to had killed "General Ayekeah" of the Red Dragons, as well as two fighters who tried to intervene. However, "General Ayekeah" subsequently reemerged as the leader of another insurgent force, the "Alou Guerilla Fighters". In October 2019, Lekeaka Oliver declared himself Paramount Ruler of Lebialem, drawing condemnation from traditional rulers of the subdivision. Cameroon subsequently launched raids into Lebialem in a failed attempt to capture or kill Oliver, leading to casualties on both sides.
Voice of America, Oct 21, 2019. Accessed Oct 22, 2019. In October 2020, the Cameroonian security forces finally killed "General Ayekeah"; this left the Red Dragon militia under Oliver the dominant rebel group in Lebialem. At this point, journalist Atia T. Azohwi stated that Oliver had succeeded in securing a "territory where his word is law". According to the news site ''Susa Africa'', the Red Dragon had also become part of the "Lebialem Defence Force".
In February 2021, Red Dragon fighters killed at least three traditional rulers in Essoh Attah, Lebialem. In the Ambazonian leadership crisis, the Red Dragons sided with the faction loyal to Samuel Ikome Sako. The Restoration Council, the legislative arm of the Interim Government, split from Sako's faction in early 2022 and later declared that Marianta Njomia had replaced Sako as president. The Red Dragons now appear to be loyal to Marianta's faction.
Cameroonian security forces including the Rapid Intervention Battalion reportedly located Oliver in Menji
Menji is a town and capital of the Fontem district in Cameroon. It is also the capital of Lebialem division.
Geographical information
See also
*Communes of Cameroon
The Divisions of Cameroon are the third-level units of administration i ...
, and organized a raid on 12 July 2022. According to the Cameroonian government, Oliver and one of his guards were killed during the attack, while the remaining Red Dragons fled. The Interim Government of Ambazonia confirmed his death days later, but disputed the events leading to his demise; according to his brother Chris Anu, Oliver was killed by an insider who had then tipped off Cameroonian forces about the location of the corpse. Ambazonia Defence Forces deputy commander Capo Daniel claimed that Oliver had "been replaced by a younger and more vibrant leader" in commanding the Red Dragon militia, though did not name this individual. Regardless, the Red Dragons were greatly weakened by Oliver's death and separatist operations were reduced in Lebialem.
Even though the Red Dragons were believed to be still active in Cameroon as of early 2023, they had reportedly been "completely dislodged" from Lebialem by September of that year. In their place, a new local rebel group, "Team Retina" under "General Massacre", had emerged. In October 2023, the Red Dragons took part in the "Southern Cameroons People's Conference" in Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
. On 6 February 2024, Red Dragon militants kidnapped Nicholas Nkongho Manchang, the Sub-Prefect of Bamenda
Bamenda, also known as Abakwa and Mankon Town, is a city in northwestern Cameroon and capital of the Northwest Region (Cameroon), Northwest Region. The city has a population of about six hundred thousand people and is located north-west of the C ...
's 2nd Arrondissement
An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, and certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands.
Europe
France
The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissem ...
, and five of his staff members in Ntumbaw. The official was freed a few hours later by security forces.
References
{{reflist Military of Ambazonia National liberation movements in Africa Secessionist organizations Guerrilla organizations