At least 48 civilians have been killed in Cameroon following crack down on protests against President Paul Biya’s disputed re-election.

At least 48 civilians have been killed by Cameroonian security forces during protests against the re-election of President Paul Biya, the world’s oldest sitting ruler, according to data shared with Reuters by two United Nations sources on Tuesday.

The sources said most of the victims were shot dead with live rounds, while several others died from injuries sustained after being beaten with batons and sticks. The Cameroonian government has not released an official death toll, and a government spokesperson declined to comment on the reports.

Biya, 92, was declared the winner of the October 12 election with 53.66% of the vote, defeating opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who secured 35.19%. Tchiroma, a former government spokesperson who resigned from his ministerial position in June, had declared himself the true winner shortly after polls closed, sparking widespread demonstrations.

Protests erupted across several regions last week as early results indicated that Biya, who has been in power since 1982, was set to secure an eighth term in office.

A civil society group, Stand Up for Cameroon, had earlier reported at least 23 deaths from the government’s response to the demonstrations. However, the UN figures released Tuesday suggest a much higher toll.

Nearly half of the reported deaths occurred in the Littoral region, which includes the commercial hub of Douala — the epicentre of the unrest. Three gendarmes were also killed in Douala, according to the UN In the North region, where Tchiroma’s hometown of Garoua is located, 10 additional civilian deaths were recorded.

While protests have subsided in recent days, tensions remain high. Tchiroma called for a three-day national lockdown starting Monday, urging citizens to suspend all activities and stay home in peaceful defiance of the election results.

International condemnation has begun to mount. US Senator Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, described the election as a “sham” and accused Biya’s government of persecuting political opponents and unlawfully detaining American citizens, including some from his home state of Idaho.

“Cameroon is not a US partner, and poses economic and security risks to the American people,” Risch wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “It’s time to reassess this relationship before the blowback gets worse.”

President Biya, who has ruled Cameroon for over four decades, is expected to be sworn in for another term on Thursday despite the growing controversy and calls for international scrutiny of the vote. (Arise News)