YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Armed separatists attacked a village in the African nation of Cameroon's western French-speaking region on Sunday, killing at least seven people, according to a top offical and a resident.

Gov. Awa Fonka Augustine of the West region said separatists from the country's troubled English-speaking northwest region crossed over early Sunday and attacked a security post in the village of Galim, killing officers and civilians. The governor wouldn't give a death toll but local media and residents said at least seven people were killed.

"Our forces are in search of the attackers who from every indication were out to seize weapons and ammunition from the forces," the governor said.

"I saw the military transporting the corpses of four of their colleagues who were at the military checkpoint and we are about to bury 3 people who were killed in the attack," said resident Jean Kamfuti.

Cameroon’s Anglophone rebels have been fighting since 2017 to create an independent, English-speaking state in the majority French-speaking country’s western regions. The U.N. says the conflict has cost more than 3,000 lives and forced half a million to flee to French-speaking regions of Cameroon or into neighboring Nigeria.

In addition, a locally made explosive planted in the English-speaking northwestern town of Bamenda by suspected separatists who had vowed to disrupt International Women Day activities exploded Sunday as the ceremony was going on. No one was killed or wounded although the blast created panic.