Maroua refuses to be psychologically destabilized

Since Maroua, capital of the Far North region of Cameroon, was hit by three deadly attacks on 22 and 25 July, police multiplied their controls in the city and authorities have called on residents to report any suspicious person. But our Observers there refuse to give in to paranoia, despite the fear.

On July 22, two girls were detonated in the afternoon at the Central Market and in a densely populated surrounding neighborhood, killing 13 people and about thirty wounded. Three days later, a third suicide attack - also perpetrated by a girl, according to the Cameroonian public television - targeted a bar in town, this time making 21 dead and 79 wounded.

These three successive attacks were not claimed but bear the mark of the Islamic State group in West Africa (formerly Boko Haram)

Issa (pseudonym) is a resident of Maroua.

On July 22, I heard an explosion while I was at the restaurant. My little brother called me a few minutes later: he told me it had been caused by an attack. He works at the central market and the explosion occurred at about twenty meters from his shop, the roof was blown. Luckily he was not injured, but he immediately fled. He reopened his shop on Monday as most other traders at the Central Market. The market had been closed the day after the attack, and some shops had reopened only two days later.

[According to another observer, however, customers are less likely than usual to visit the market]

My brother said he did not fear too ... In general, we are not really afraid, except when people gather at the mosque, when you're 40 or 50 for example ... At the end of the prayer, people go home quickly, without lingering too ...