The Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon: Assessing the Impact of Fragmented Counter-Insurgency Strategies on Civilian Livelihood Displacement

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 16, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 154–162

DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160811

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: The Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon: Assessing the Impact of Fragmented Counter-Insurgency Strategies on Civilian Livelihood Displacement

Names of Authors: Emmanuel N. Obi¹, Chantal M. Biya²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Yaoundé II, Yaoundé, Cameroon; ²Department of Sociology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract:
This study systematically investigates the structural dynamics of the protracted armed conflict within the Northwest and Southwest Anglophone regions of Cameroon, evaluating how fragmented military counter-insurgency responses have altered civilian security and forced displacement trends up to mid-2026. Utilizing a multi-sited ethnographic field approach combined with satellite geographical surveillance datasets of destroyed agrarian settlements, we analyze operational vulnerabilities along the frontier. The field data demonstrates that separatist insurgent networks exploit porous forest geography and deep-seated structural grievances over language and legal marginalization to establish resilient logistical hideouts. Quantitative metrics establish that operational zones characterized by uncoordinated communications between military divisions and civilian regional administrations report a 48% higher incidence of civilian casualties and forced displacements during sweep campaigns. The research highlights the failure of heavy-handed tactical containment strategies that focus exclusively on clearing territory while ignoring root-cause political demands and refugee rehabilitation infrastructure. We conclude that long-term stabilization requires moving away from purely kinetic enforcement models toward localized, inclusive constitutional dialogue and decentralized administrative autonomy frameworks.

Keywords: Anglophone Crisis; Cameroon; Counter-Insurgency; Livelihood Displacement; Tactical Fragmentation; Structural Grievances

Manuscript Timeline: Received: December 12, 2024; Revised: March 15, 2025; Accepted: June 18, 2025; Published: August 31, 2026

Citation: Obi, E. N., & Biya, C. M. (2026). The Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon: Assessing the Impact of Fragmented Counter-Insurgency Strategies on Civilian Livelihood Displacement. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 16(8), 154–162. DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160811

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