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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Nicole Winfield

Cameroon fighters hold three-day ceasefire as Pope Leo arrives

  • Pope Leo XIV is visiting Cameroon as part of a four-nation African tour, aiming to deliver a message of peace to the nation's separatist region and engage with President Paul Biya.
  • The 93-year-old President Biya, who secured an eighth term in a widely disputed election last year, will meet the Pope, with the Vatican focusing on combating corruption and promoting proper political authority.
  • The visit includes a "peace meeting" in Bamenda, a city affected by a separatist conflict that has killed over 6,000 people and displaced 600,000 since 2017.
  • English-speaking separatists declared a three-day ceasefire to ensure safe travel for the Pope and attendees, acknowledging the profound spiritual importance of his visit.
  • Pope Leo, the first American Pope to visit Africa, will also hold a Mass in Douala, expected to draw 600,000 people, before continuing his tour to Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

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