<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Gunmen opened fire on people as they slept in a town in western Cameroon early today, leaving at least 20 dead, a local government official said.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The attackers struck before dawn and set houses on fire in Mamfe, the administrative head of the surrounding Manyu division said.</div><div><br></div><div>The town in Cameroon’s South West region is less than 50km from the border with Nigeria.</div><div><br></div><div>Seven people were in hospital and security forces were searching the area, the official Viang Mekala told Reuters.</div><div><br></div><div>“The situation is under control and the population should not panic,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Separatists in minority English-speaking parts of Cameroon have been fighting to carve out an independent state called Ambazonia since 2017.</div><div><br></div><div>Armed groups have carried out attacks, kidnappings and killings in the North West and South West regions of the predominantly French-speaking African country.</div><div><br></div><div>No group immediately claimed responsibility for today’s attack. According to Reuters reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>