A military court in Yaoundé has sentenced three soldiers to prison over their involvement in the 2020 Ngarbuh massacre, where 21 civilians were killed during unrest in Cameroon’s English-speaking North-West region.

The verdict, delivered on Thursday, marks a rare conviction of military personnel linked to the country’s protracted Anglophone crisis. According to victims’ lawyers, Sergeant Baba Guida was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment, Gendarme Haranga Gilbert received a 10-year term, while Corporal Sanding Sanding was handed a five-year sentence.

The February 2020 attack in Ngarbuh village sparked international condemnation after Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that government troops, working alongside ethnic Fulani militia, killed “at least” 21 civilians. Thirteen of the victims were children and one was a pregnant woman, the rights group stated.

HRW also alleged that the attackers burned five homes, looted property, and assaulted residents during the raid. The Cameroonian government initially rejected claims that its forces deliberately took part in the killings and disputed the death toll. However, under mounting domestic and international pressure, authorities later opened a formal investigation.

The incident occurred amid ongoing armed conflict in Cameroon, where separatist groups have been fighting for independence in the North-West and South-West regions since 2016.

The crisis erupted after President Paul Biya ordered a crackdown on protests by English-speaking citizens who complained of political and economic marginalisation in the predominantly French-speaking country.

According to HRW, at least 6,000 civilians have been killed since the conflict began, with abuses attributed to both government forces and separatist fighters.

While rights advocates say the convictions represent a step toward accountability, many argue broader justice reforms are needed to address years of violence and alleged human rights violations in Cameroon’s troubled Anglophone regions.