The Cameroon army has confirmed at least four children and one woman were killed following a shoot out with separatists in the locality of Ngarbuh, in the restive North West Region of Cameroon.

According to a statement released by a spokesêrson for the Cameroonian army Atonfack Guemo, four soldiers and two gendarmes stormed the locality on Friday night after they were tipped of a heavy presence of separatist fighters in the locality.

The ensuing battle that night led to the death of seven separatist fighters but a violent explosion of containers of fuel led to fire that englobed nearby houses which killed at least five persons-a woman and five children, Atonfack Guemo said.

He added that investigations have been opened to throw more light on the incident while dismissing social media reports that have fuelled the figures of the casualties.