Tribal fighting in Papua New Guinea leaves dozens dead

A tribe and its allies and mercenaries were on their way to attack a neighboring tribe when they were ambushed on Sunday in Enga province in the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea, according to George Kakas, police chief of Enga province in the South Pacific nation.

Tribes attack and ambush each other in papua new guinea many casualties picture 1 — Enga Province (red dot), where the bloody massacre of tribes took place in Papua New Guinea - Graphics: The Guardian

Mr Kakas initially said 53 people had died. But Papua New Guinea security forces later revised the death toll down to 26. It was not immediately clear whether any of the ambushers were among the dead.

Bodies were collected from battlefields, roads and riverbanks, then loaded into police vehicles and taken to hospitals. Mr Kakas told ABC that authorities were still counting “those who were shot, wounded and fleeing”.

“Some bodies are still in the bush and have not been recovered by neighboring tribes,” Enga provincial police chief said. “The situation remains tense but the highway is now open for traffic.”

The massacre marks an escalation of violence in the region. Tribal fighting is not unusual in many parts of Papua New Guinea, but the events in Enga province have attracted attention in recent months because of the brutality of the parties involved.

Tribes attack and ambush each other in papua new guinea many casualties picture 2 — Warriors of a tribe in Papua New Guinea, this South Pacific nation has hundreds of tribes and most of them are in remote areas - Photo: Nations Online

Last year, the province was reportedly put on lockdown after an outbreak of violence that left 150 people dead, although estimates vary widely. The incident attracted international attention after footage circulated on social media showing men being tied up and dragged behind a truck as onlookers cheered.

Papua New Guinea is home to hundreds of tribes, many of whom still live in remote, harsh lands. As news of the massacre in this Pacific nation spread, its largest and most influential neighbor, Australia, expressed its deep concern.

“The news coming from Papua New Guinea is very concerning,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a radio interview on February 19. “We are providing significant assistance, particularly training for police and security officers in Papua New Guinea.”

Nguyen Khanh (according to Guardian, AP, ABC)

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