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General No Pity

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"General No Pity"
Birth nameClement Mbashie[1]
BornBambalang, Cameroon
Allegiance Ambazonia
Service / branchAmbazonia Restoration Forces[a]
Ambazonia Defence Forces (possibly, from 2022)[3]
Years of servicec. 2019 – 2023
Rank"General"
"Field Marshal" (less commonly used)[4]
CommandsBambalang Marine Forces[5]
Bui Unity Warriors[6]
Ambazonia Revolutionary Guards[7]
Battles / warsAnglophone Crisis
RelationsSylvester Mbashie (brother)[8]

Clement Mbashie,[1][9] better known by his nom de guerre "General No Pity", is an Ambazonian separatist who commands several militant groups, most importantly the Bambalang Marine Forces and Bui Unity Warriors, in the Anglophone Crisis.

Biography

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Early life and taking up arms

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"General No Pity" is the nom du guerre of Clement Mbashie, an Anglophone Cameroonian who was born in Bambalang.[10] In the late 2000s, he studied at the Cameroon College of Arts, Science and Technology Bambili, a secondary school in Mezam. He was forced to work part-time to pay for his education. After a first failure to achieve GCE Ordinary Level, he relocated to Buea where he became a doughnut and yogurt vendor while taking evening classes. His situation began to change as Buea became affected by the 2016–17 Cameroonian protests and the accompanying economic unrest, as Mbashie was laid off by his employer. By this point, he also had become the father of a son.[1] After a period of unemployement, Mbashie opted to instead work as a motorbike taxi driver, a profession he practiced in the time leading up to and during the early stages of the Anglophone Crisis, an open separatist rebellion in western Cameroon.[1][11]

On 31 July 2018, the mayor of Buea banned all motorcycling within the city due to security reasons. Mbashie was among the members of the taxi driver trade union who unsuccessfully protested against this decision. Without a job and perspectives, as well as angered over the negative impact of the Cameroonian state on his life, Mbashie returned to Bambalang and joined the separatist movement. By 2019, he served alongside the Seven Karta, a rebel group associated with the Ambazonia Self-Defence Council. He was not a full member of the militia, however, spending time with the Seven Karta to learn how to operate as a guerrilla.[1] His brother, Sylvester Mbashie, alias "Shina Rambo", also joined the rebellion at one point.[8]

Rebel commander

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At some point before or during 2020, he became the leader of the Bambalang Marine Forces and adopted his nom du guerre.[1] Researcher Joseph Nkwain categorized his pseudonym as typical for the Ambazonian rebel commanders, as it was useful in evoking respect and fear.[12] The Bambalang Marine Forces originated and initially mainly operated in Ngo-Ketunjia.[5] General No Pity gained prominence as one of the Ambazonian military leaders who are most "wanted" by the Cameroonian security forces,[5] as his militia quickly became rather successful as well as increasingly brutal. Under his command, the Bambalang Marines burnt down the residence of the prefect of Balikumbat and beheaded several Cameroonian soldiers.[1] In March 2020, it was falsely reported that General No Pity had been killed in combat near Bamali.[5]

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Departments where forces loyal to General No Pity are known to have operated as of 2021.

In 2021, General No Pity expanded his reach and increased his attacks,[11] with his troops operating in Bambalang, Bui, Boyo, and Mezam.[13] Under his leadership, the militia carried out two successful raids into West Region throughout 2021.[14][15] He also became part of the Ambazonia Restoration Forces (formerly the Ambazonia Self-Defence Council) which are loyal to the Interim Government of Ambazonia,[16] one of the factions involved in the Ambazonian leadership crisis.[2] Around mid-2021, his forces fought against Operation Bui Clean; this government offensive resulted in the demise of several separatist commanders. General No Pity was wounded, but survived the operation.[17]

In September of that year, General No Pity and the Bambalang Marine Forces cooperated with the Jaguars of Bamessing to ambush a military convoy. The operation resulted in the death of 15 Cameroonian soldiers, the destruction of two armoured vehicles, and the capture of several guns by the rebels. General No Pity celebrated the success by filming himself and his fighters next to the burning vehicles.[18] This ambush received national attention in Cameroon, and led to the government intensifying their manhunt for him.[11] In the month following the Bamessing attack, he called on the United Nations to take notice of the Anglophone Crisis in an audio message. At the time, he was described as leader of the "Ambazonia Revolutionary Guards"[7] as well as chief commander of the Ambazonia Restoration Forces by the Cameroon Intelligence Report.[19]

Meanwhile, the Cameroonian military launched operations to hunt him down, resulting clashes which left several Bambalang Marine Forces members dead.[13][20] Security forces once again claimed to have killed General No Pity, only for him to resurface in Manyu.[20][b] Eventually, Cameroonian security forces arrested Antoinette Kongnso, believed to be the pregnant girlfriend or ex-girlfriend of General No Pity.[22][23] The separatist militant reportedly responded by kidnapping Fon Yekum Kelvin of Bambalang, and demanding that Kongnso and several of his imprisoned followers be freed in exchange for Kelvin. Kongnso was released on bail in December 2021.[23]

As time went on, General No Pity made more and more incursions into Bui, where he forced several minor separatist factions to unify into the "Bui Unity Warriors". Cooperating with the Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF), he was even able to convince elements of the Bui Warriors, another rebel group, to break off and join the Bui Unity Warriors. The new formation was officially founded in January 2022 and formally headed by General Mad Dog,[6][3] and considered part of the ADF, signifying General No Pity's realignment of loyalties.[3] At this point, he was no longer head of the Ambazonia Restoration Forces, a position instead held by Lekeaka Oliver.[2] The leader of the Bui Warriors, "Field Marshal" Insobu, regarded the formation of the Bui Unity Warriors as a threat to his own position, and he responded by attacking No Pity's forces.[24] In the following month, the intra-rebel conflicts further escalated, as the Interim Government of Ambazonia splintered and its former followers began to fight each other. General Mad Dog began attacking Lekeaka Oliver's followers in Kumbo,[2] while General No Pity led the Bui Unity Warriors into battle against the Bui Warriors. His fighters were able to kill Insobu on 8 April 2022.[6][24] This operation was received with approval by locals, as Insobu had become infamous for kidnapping and abusing civilians.[6]

In June 2022, General No Pity personally led an attack at Njatapon, a border post between Ngo-Ketunjia and the Noun River, killing nine Cameroonian soldiers.[4][9] In the following month, Lekeaka Oliver was killed. This left General No Pity arguably the most important active Ambazonian militia leader.[25] In early August, General No Pity led an offensive against army camps in Oku. The attack was repelled and the separatist commander reportedly wounded in battle.[26] Several members of his militia were killed; Bareta News went so far as to call this clash No Pity's "Waterloo".[27] Following these events, General No Pity went off the radar for several months. On 28 January 2023, he resurfaced in a video where he said that "three truck loads" of soldiers had attacked his stronghold in Bambalang two days prior, only to be repelled with heavy losses.[28]

In late May 2023, his brother Sylvester Mbashie surrendered to the government.[8][17] When military officials questioned Sylvester, he reportedly claimed that General No Pity had been killed during a raid on the village of Baba I in Ngo-Ketunjia. According to this account, Sylvester had surrendered because he had been defeated by Njibongwe Derick (General No Pity's witch doctor) in the following succession struggle over command of the Bambalang Marine Forces.[17][29] In July 2023, Le Jour journalist Haman Mana and Ngo-Ketunjia prefect Quetong Anderson Kongeh supported the claim that General No Pity had been killed.[30]

Notes

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  1. ^ The Ambazonia Restoration Forces / Self-Defence Council were aligned with the Interim Government of Ambazonia until early 2022. In February 2022, the Interim Government fractured and its forces began to fight each other.[2] General No Pity appears to have joined those elements of the Ambazonia Restoration Forces that oppose Samuel Ikome Sako, former Interim Government leader.[2][3]
  2. ^ In November 2021, Cameroonian security forces arrested an imposter and bandit who had claimed to be No Pity.[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Franck Foute (5 November 2021). "Cameroun : jusqu'où ira « No Pity », ennemi numéro 1 de Yaoundé ?". Jeune Afrique. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Moki Edwin Kindzeka (16 February 2022). "Cameroon's Rival Separatist Groups Clash, Kill Fighters". VOA. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Mark Bareta (8 January 2022). "FM No Pity is officially ADF fighter". Bareta News. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Soldiers kill 9 civilians, Amba 'general' kills 9 soldiers". Mimi Mefo Info. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d "Cameroon: Ambazonia General No Pity killed in restive North West region". Journal du Cameroun. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d Mimi Mefo Takambou (8 April 2022). "Anglophone Crisis: Self styled General Insobu, Amba Lord of Kikaikom dies". Mimi Mefo Info. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  7. ^ a b Fon Lawrence (13 October 2021). "Southern Cameroons Crisis: "General No Pity" vows to continue fight against French Cameroun". Cameroon Intelligence Report. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b c "Crise anglophone : le frère du terroriste « No Pity » a déposé les armes". Actu Cameroun. 2023-05-30.
  9. ^ a b "Amba Commander No Pity kills sub-lieutenant, 8 others in a Noun border post". Cameroon News Agency. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  10. ^ "In Southern Cameroons, at the request of General No Pity, Fon of Bambalang arrested". Nigeria Pen. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  11. ^ a b c Mbah Lucas (12 November 2021). "Editorial: Self-styled Amba General No Pity is alive and winning friends". Tebo Post. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  12. ^ Nkwain 2022, p. 253.
  13. ^ a b "Cameroon – Anglophone Crisis: Soldiers kill Amba 'General' Trouble In Ndop Market Square". Cameroon Info. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  14. ^ Cameroon Anglophone Separatists Stage Attack, Release Disturbing Video, Voice of America, May 1, 2021. Accessed May 2, 2021.
  15. ^ Billy Burton (24 August 2021). "Cameroon: Death By a Thousand Cuts - Cameroon Struggles in Fight Against Separatists". AllAfrica. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  16. ^ Fon Lawrence (14 July 2021). "General No Pity: "Our Big Rubbergun will not leave any La Republique soldier alone"". Cameroon Intelligence Report. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  17. ^ a b c "Breaking au Noso : Shina Rambo se livre à l'armée et confirme ce qui est arrivé à son frère No Pity". camerounweb.com. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  18. ^ Ariane Foguem (17 September 2021). "Anglophone crisis: About 15 soldiers perish in Amba ambush in Sabga". Agence Cameroun Presse. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  19. ^ Isong Asu (8 October 2021). "General No Pity reserves right to use all means to counter the Francophone dominated army". Cameroon Intelligence Report. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  20. ^ a b "Crise anglophone : un général ambazonien annonce une semaine sanglante à Manyu (Sud-Ouest)". Actu Cameroun. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  21. ^ Mimi Mefo Takambou (25 November 2021). "Anglophone Crisis: Fake 'General No Pity' Arrested in West Region". Mimi Mefo Info. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  22. ^ Mimi Mefo Takambou (8 December 2021). "Case Against General No Pity's Ex-Girlfriend, Antoinette Kongso Adjourned To Tomorrow". Mimi Mefo Info. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  23. ^ a b "Crise anglophone: la femme du général ambazonien « No Pity » libérée". Actu Cameroun. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  24. ^ a b "Insobu Dies: Why Infighting Keeps Taking Away Ambazonia Best Front Warriors". Cameroon News Agency. 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  25. ^ Franck Foute (15 July 2022). "Cameroun : avec No Pity, la barbarie a un nouveau visage". Jeune Afrique. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  26. ^ "Southern Cameroons Crisis: General No Pity escapes assassination". Cameroon Intelligence Report. 10 August 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  27. ^ "No Pity Planned attack in Oku Foiled". Bareta News. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  28. ^ "No Pity resurfaces, issues stern warning to military after surviving attack". Mimi Mefo. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
  29. ^ Mua Patrick (31 May 2023). "As infighting over succession of late 'No Pity' rages". The Guardian Post Cameroon. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  30. ^ "'No pity est dead': un préfet qui a vu son corps confirme son décès". camerounweb.com. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.

Works cited

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