The Ambazonia Self-Defence Council (ASC), also known as Ambazonia Military Council (AMC), Ambazonia Military Forces (AMF), and Ambazonia Restoration Forces (ARF),Cameroon's Anglophone crisis: Red Dragons and Tigers - the rebels fighting for independence
BBC, Oct 4, 2018. Accessed Oct 4, 2018. is an umbrella organization that consists of several militants that fight for the independence of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, including the Red Dragons, the

Tigers of Ambazonia The Tigers of Ambazonia (TTA) are an Ambazonian separatist militia. According to its official website, the TTA recognizes the authority of the Interim Government of Ambazonia. It is part of the Ambazonia Self-Defence Council.Seven Karta Seven Karta is an Ambazonian separatist militia that is part of the Ambazonia Self-Defence Council.

, the Manyu Ghost Warriors, the Ambazonia Restoration Army, the

Southern Cameroons Defence Forces The Southern Cameroons Defence Forces (commonly referred to as SOCADEF) is the armed wing of the African People's Liberation Movement, an Ambazonian separatist movement. It is led by Ebenezer Akwanga, who is based in the United States, and its gro ...

, the Bui Warriors, General No Pity's forces, and numerous others. Collectively, these militias possibly outsize the

Ambazonia Defence Forces The Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF) are a military organization that fights for the independence of Ambazonia, a self-declared independent state in the Anglophone regions of the former Southern Cameroons, Cameroon. It was formally established by th ...

and SOCADEF.

History

The ASC was created by the

Interim Government of Ambazonia The Interim Government of Ambazonia is the provisional government in exile of the internationally unrecognized Federal Republic of Ambazonia. History Ayuk Tabe cabinet (2017–18) The Interim Government of Ambazonia was formed from the Sou ...

in March 2018. The Interim Government wished to include all separatist militias, including the ADF; however, the ADF declined to join, opting for cooperation rather than integration. It is unclear whether the ASC has a centralized command structure, though given the local nature of its militias, this is unlikely. In March 2019, the

Southern Cameroons Liberation Council The Southern Cameroons Liberation Council (SCLC) is an Ambazonian umbrella movement, aiming to unite all Anglophone groups on a common front. As of April 2019, it consists of seven movements. Foundation The SCLC was established at the All South ...

(SCLC) was created. Days later, it declared an immediate end to a lockdown in

Fako Division Mount Cameroon is an active volcano in the South West region of Cameroon next to the city of Buea near the Gulf of Guinea. Mount Cameroon is also known as Cameroon Mountain or Fako (the name of the higher of its two peaks) or by its indigenous n ...

, previously declared by the Interim Government. Although the ASC is loyal to the Interim Government, and the Interim Government is part of the SCLC, the ASC refused to end the lockdown. In its refusal to obey the order, the ASC cited the lack of consultation by the SCLC. By 2021, the ASC had become more commonly known as the "Ambazonia Restoration Forces" (ARF). In January 2022, the ARF began to fracture as conflicts erupted among its members. Several commanders of the umbrella group, including General No Pity and General Mad Dog, formed the Bui Unity Warriors in opposition to "Field Marshal" Insobu's Bui Warriors, another group within the ARF. The internal struggles further escalated in February 2022, as the Interim Government splintered when its leader Samuel Ikome Sako was impeached. General Mad Dog began attacking the forces of then-ARF chief commander

Lekeaka Oliver Lekeaka Oliver, popularly known as Field Marshall, was a Cameroonian army soldier and later an Ambazonian separatist commander and the leader of the Red Dragon militia. His armed group is part of the loosely-structured Ambazonia Self-Defence Cou ...

, and General No Pity's troops killed Insobu in April 2022. Oliver was killed in July, either by government forces or rival rebels.

References

{{SouthwestRegionCM-geo-stub Military of Ambazonia National liberation movements in Africa Secessionist organizations

History

See also

References