Assistance halted

Washington: The United States said yesterday it was halting some military assistance to Cameroon over allegations of gross human rights violations by its security forces in the northwest, southwest and far north regions.

A State Department official said the US had terminated a C130 aircraft training programme, and halted deliveries of four defender boats, nine armoured vehicles and an upgrade of a Cessna aircraft for Cameroon’s rapid intervention battalion.

The US had also withdrawn its offer for Cameroon to be part of the State Partnership Programme, a military cooperation programme, the official said.