File photo: CGTN

YAOUNDE, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Suspected separatist fighters have killed four civilians in raids in Cameroon's restive English-speaking regions, according to local and security sources.

Gunmen suspected to be separatist fighters killed a middle-aged man and burned four vehicles in Buea, the chief town of the English-speaking region of Southwest, early Monday.

"They came as early as 5:00 a.m. and burned the cars at Mile 16 neighborhood in Buea. A man that sells along the road there was killed," a resident of the neighborhood who asked not to be named told Xinhua by phone.

Overnight into Monday, gunmen suspected to be separatist fighters opened fire on civilians who were celebrating Easter in the Fundong locality of Northwest, another Anglophone region, killing three men, an army source in the region said.

There has been fighting between government forces and separatist fighters in the regions since 2017 after separatists made a bid to create an independent nation in the regions.