In Cameroon, Amnesty International says elite government soldiers fighting Boko Haram militants have for years tortured prisoners at secret bases, including one used by American and French soldiers near the Cameroon-Nigeria border. Amnesty regional director Stephen Cockburn cited more than 100 cases in which former prisoners described being held in agonizing stress positions; tied up and left for days in the open; beaten, drowned, electrocuted, and having had their fingernails pulled out. Cockburn says much of the torture played out at a base in Salak, Cameroon, where U.S. and French troops are frequently stationed.

Stephen Cockburn: “What we are not saying is they have been directly involved in torture, but we are raising serious questions about what was known by these personnel. Did they know that there was torture taking place? Did they know that people were being illegally detained? And if so, what did they do about it? Did they report it to their hierarchy, or did they take measures to prevent it? These are really, really big questions. There are war crimes that are taking place under the nose of international personnel on the base, and this needs to be investigated.”

Among those reportedly tortured were women and children. Amnesty said dozens died from the abuse. As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump frequently voiced support for torture, promising to bring back waterboarding and “a hell of a lot worse.”