Tribal violence in Papua New Guinea resulted in the deaths of dozens of people following an ambush that resulted from a dispute in the region.
Officials said that at least 64 people have died during an ambush in the area's remote Highlands region. A national police spokesman said that the victims were found to have been shot dead during a tribal dispute in the Enga province in an incident that occurred over the weekend.
Tribal Violence in Papua New Guinea
The Highlands region where the violence occurred has long struggled with such encounters but the latest killings are believed to be the worst in the last few years. The influx of illegal firearms has made clashes in the region have made clashes more deadly and has also fueled a cycle of violence.
Law enforcement officials said they started collecting bodies at the scene near the town of Wabag, which is located roughly 600 kilometers northwest of the capital Port Moresby. In a statement, Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Acting Supt. George Kakas said that the incident marks the largest killing that he has seen in Enga so far and maybe in all of the Highlands, as per BBC.
He added that they were all devastated by the horrific incident, noting that they were also mentally stressed out because it was difficult to comprehend. Law enforcement officers received graphic videos and photographs purporting to be from the scene, which featured bodies loaded onto a truck.
Rising tribal disputes, which have often occurred over the distribution of land and wealth, have led to a three-month lockdown in Enga last July. During that time, police imposed a curfew and travel restrictions.
In August 2023, the violence in the region made international headlines after graphic footage involving three dead men circulated online. Gov. Peter Ipatas said that there have been signs that fighting was about to break out again ahead of the ambush in the Highlands region.
Ambushing Neighboring Tribes
A tribe, along with their allies and mercenaries, were on their way to attack a neighboring tribe when they became the victims of an ambush. Kakas said that officials were still counting "those who were shot, injured, and ran off into the bushes," according to the Associated Press.
Papua New Guinea is a diverse, developing nation with a population of roughly 10 million people with 800 languages in a strategically important part of the South Pacific. The region has faced difficulty with its internal security as China, the United States, and Australia seek closer security ties.
In a statement, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that his government was ready to assist Papua New Guinea. The region is Australia's nearest neighbor and the largest single recipient of Australian foreign aid.
Law enforcement authorities have been trying to stop the supply of firearms and ammunition in the region, which authorities said was supercharging the deadly violence. Officials also believe that the latest tribal violence involves the same groups that killed more than 60 people last year.
Ipatas said that from a provincial perspective, they knew that the fight was going to take place and they alerted security forces last week. This was to make sure that they took appropriate action to ensure that the incident did not occur, said ABC.net.
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