ALGIERS- Six Algerian journalists had been attacked on the backs and legs with bladed weapons in the Cameroonian city of Douala. Three of them were injured and ended up in hospital.
To this end, people armed with white weapons intercepted journalists covering the African Nations Cup matches, which kicked off on Sunday evening, as they were leaving the hotel and assaulted them, as a result of which three of them were injured.
The assailants robbed them of all their possessions, including passports, while stripping them of their belongings like cell phones. These cowardly attacks have already been strongly condemned by public opinion.
« The incident happened moments ago as they were leaving the hotel they were staying at. People armed with knives blocked their way and two of them were injured “Added El khabar, specifying that” the attackers stole from the victims everything they had on them, including passports ”.
The three journalists were rushed to the hospital, and according to the feedback received, their health condition is reassuring and does not cause concern.
As a result, Cameroonian security forces cordoned off the hotel where Algerian journalists are staying in Douala.
According to Abdel Rahman Belaliya, a journalist for Al-Bilad channel, those who were attacked were journalists from the newspaper “Competition”, the “Dead Foot” website and the Algerian News Agency.
For its part, the Algerian side published a statement in which it laid out the facts that occurred. “These journalists were attacked with knives as they left their hotel. Fortunately, none of them are in serious condition. But, three of them were injured and had to go to the hospital for treatment. Personal items were also stolen from them (mobile phones and passports). Alerted, the local police would have taken a long time to arrive at the scene of the attack. These cowardly attacks have already been strongly condemned by public opinion. On the other hand, neither the organizing country, nor the CAF have yet reacted to this unfortunate episode.”
DZfoot detailed saying: “At 10 p.m. Yaoundé time, Algerian journalists, all representatives of the various national media and who came to cover this sporting event, were assaulted in Douala, Cameroon. A representative of DZfoot is among the victims.”
And to add: “Present in the immediate vicinity of their hotel, in full compliance with the various health and safety recommendations in force in Cameroon and intended to ensure the smooth running of the competition, the journalists were attacked by a group and in possession of bladed weapons. The individuals threatened journalists and extorted their property from them, not without using violence.
This edition of the African Nations Cup in Cameroon is witnessing a very large media coverage, especially from the Algerian side, where dozens of Algerian journalists are in Cameroon to follow the journey of the “greens”.
In its written note, DZFoot website called on the Cameroonian authorities to quickly remedy this failure in security and ensure the smooth running of the tournament. Even though this is an isolated case and one should not lose one’s temper, it cannot be tolerated that journalists risk their lives, when they come from abroad to cover a simple sporting event and in an atmosphere that is supposed to be festive and good-natured.
