An insurrection broke out among the Bassa people on the 18 to 19 December 1956: several dozen anti-UPC figures were murdered or kidnapped, bridges, telephone lines and other infrastructure were sabotaged. Units of the Cameroonian guard violently repressed these events, which led to the rallying of the peasants to the maquis. Several UPC maquis were formed with their "generals" and "captains" leading "regiments" (150–200 guerrillas) and "battalions" (50 guerrillas). The weapons were very basic: a few stolen guns and pistols, but mainly machetes, clubs, bows, and arrows. To isolate the rebellion from the Bassa civilian population, who were suspected of being particularly independentists, they were deported to camps along the main roads. General Lamberton, in charge of the French forces, ordered: "Any huts or installations remaining outside the assembly areas must be completely razed and their surrounding crops destroyed. "Villagers were subjected to forced labor on behalf of Razel, particularly in road construction. The Bassa living in the city were expelled to their region of origin to prevent the "virus of protest" from spreading. This rebellion continued, with diminishing intensity, even after independence until 1961. Some tens of thousands died during this conflict.