Gunmen killed at least eight Cameroonian security members after they ambushed a convoy in Cameroon’s English-speaking region of Northwest on Saturday, according to security and local sources.

A senior police officer told Xinhua that the gunmen ambushed and attacked the convoy that was transporting security forces to their duty posts around 7:30 a.m. local time on Saturday in Santa, a locality in the region.

“Five police officers, three gendarmes and a civilian were killed in the attack making it nine people killed. Another police officer was seriously injured, and he is receiving treatment in a hospital,” the officer who asked not to be named told Xinhua by phone, adding that attackers used a rocket launcher.

Security forces have blocked the highway leading to the locality and are in pursuit of the gunmen, whom the army suspect are separatist fighters who are known to be operating in the area.

It is one of the bloodiest attacks in the troubled region this year, officials said.

Separatists have been clashing with government forces in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest in a bid to create an independent nation they called “Ambazonia.”

Source: Xinhua News Agency