People play football on an deserted street during a "ghost town" strike in Bamenda, on April 13, 2026. Since the crisis began, the separatists have called for a "ghost town" strike each Monday, with shops shutting and locals told to stay at home. Cameroon's Northwest and Southwest regions have for over ten years been the theatre of a bloody conflict between government forces and armed separatists. The militants are demanding independence for the two regions, where English-speaking people predominate in the otherwise francophone-majority nation. (Photo by PATRICK MEINHARDT / AFP via Getty Images)