Intra-tribal clashes kill 14 in Papua New Guinea

ANKARA

At least 14 people have been killed in tribal violence in the South Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea, local media reported.

According to The Post-Courier daily based in the capital Port Moresby, the killings took place in a Kewuti tribal ambush on Monday morning in the Mul-Baiyer district in the country’s Western Highland province.

Local police said that schools and government offices have been closed as the situation there is tense.

“It is a guerrilla-type tribal fight. The Kewuti men are fighting inside bush and not out at open places, and it is difficult for police to operate,” said police inspector Jacob Kamiak.

The latest attacks are seen as retaliation for previous attacks.

Last month, fighting broke out between two sub-clans of the Kewuti tribe. A member of one of the two clans was killed by the other group in 2017.

Since then the two groups have been mediating for compensation, but the situation got out of hand in June, which resulted in clashes.