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A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 31 OctOber 2018

American missionary killed in Cameroon amid armed conflict

By EDWIN KINDZEKA MOKI where armed separatists
Associated Press have been fighting with the
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) military while attempting
— An American mission- to create an independent
ary died Tuesday after be- state.
ing shot in the head amid Regional Gov. Deben
fighting between armed Tchoffo said armed groups
separatists and soldiers in staged attacks to stop the
northwestern Cameroon, reopening of the University
the director of the regional of Bamenda, and the mili-
hospital said. tary fought back Tuesday.
Charles Trumann Wesco, He said Wesco might have
a missionary from the U.S. been caught in crossfire.
state of Indiana who had A military spokesman, Col.
been in the region for two Didier Badjeck, told AP that
weeks, was rushed to the the military killed at least
hospital in Bamenda after four suspects in Wesco's
he was gravely wounded death and arrested many
while in his car, hospital di- others. He did not specify if
rector Kingue Thomson Njie the people detained were
said. military personnel or sepa-
"He died in our hospital af- ratists.
ter all attempts to save his Cameroon's military said
life," Njie told The Associ- last week after launching
ated Press. attacks on suspected sep-
Wesco's wife, Stephanie, aratist training grounds that
and eight children were still "many have been killed."
in Bamenda, he said. The attacks happened the
Dave Halyman, assistant day after President Paul
pastor at Believers Baptist Biya was declared the win-
Church in Warsaw, Indiana, ner of a seventh term.
where Stephanie Wesco's This undated photo provided by Don Williams shows Charles Wesco and his wife Stephanie. The increased violence be-
father, Don Williams, is the Associated Press gan after the government
senior pastor, said that Wil- clamped down on demon-
liams had spoken by phone the windshield and struck shock of losing someone as Lord," he said. strations by English-speak-
with his daughter after the him in the head. No one wonderful as Charles was," Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb ing teachers and law-
shooting. else was hurt, Halyman Halyman said. "While we issued a statement saying yers protesting what they
Reporting Williams' ac- said. don't like this, we under- that he and his wife, Ja- called their marginalization
count, Halyman said the The family had been in stand that God has a great net, "are thinking of Rep. by Cameroon's French-
shooting happened as Cameroon for just 12 purpose." Tim Wesco and his family speaking majority. Armed
Charles and Stephanie days before the shooting, The missionary's brother is as they grieve the death factions emerged after the
Wesco were in a car being Halyman said. He said they Indiana state Rep. Tim Wes- of his brother Charles. We government crackdown
driven by another mission- had raised financial sup- co, who confirmed that his ask that all Hoosiers join and have been using vio-
ary to the town of Bamnui port for two years and had older brother had been us in offering prayers and lence to push for an inde-
from the Bamenda suburb been to Cameroon two killed. "He loved the Lord. condolences to the Wesco pendent state they call
of Bambili, where the fam- years ago on a survey trip. He loved people. The Lord family." "Ambazonia."
ily has been living. He said "We're shocked and griev- giveth. Bamenda is in Cameroon's Protests against the 85-year-
Charles Wesco was in the ing at what's occurred. The Lord taketh away. Northwest Region, the res- old Biya's Oct. 7 re-election
front seat, and two shots hit We're trying to get over the Blessed be the name of the tive English-speaking area have been ongoing.q