At least 64 people have died in tribal violence in Papua New Guinea, that Pacific country's police said on Sunday night, the latest deadly violence linked to ancestral conflicts.
The death toll from an apparent ambush on Sunday morning could rise, Deputy Police Commissioner Samson Kua said.
“We believe there are still bodies in the bush,” he added.
The events took place near the town of Wabag (North), in the highlands about 600 kilometers northwest of the capital Port Moresby, reported the country's police chief, David Manning.
Police obtained videos and photos purportedly from the locations where this violence occurred. They show images of bloodied corpses with serious injuries lying side by side on the side of the road or stacked in the back of a truck.
The exact circumstances of these deaths are not yet known. However, police reported receiving reports of heavy gunfire.
Tribal fighting has occurred in this part of the island for centuries, often sparked by territorial disputes and allegations of theft. The influx of automatic weapons has made clashes deadlier and increased violence.
Kua said the shooters used a veritable arsenal, including SLRs, AK-47s, M4s, AR15s and M16s, as well as shotguns and homemade firearms.
Fighting appears to be continuing in a rural area near where the violence occurred.
“Extremely violent” attacks
The island's government has tried to curb the violence through repression, mediation, amnesty and a variety of other strategies, but with little success.
The army has deployed around a hundred soldiers to the region, but these have had limited impact and security services remain inadequate in numbers and armament.
The violence often takes place in isolated communities, with clans launching raids or ambushes in revenge for previous attacks.
The abuses committed are often extremely violent, with victims being cut with machetes, burned, mutilated or tortured.
Civilians, including pregnant women and children, have been targeted in the past.
The very poorly paid police officers claim that they do not have the necessary resources to carry out their duties. Some of their weapons that end up in the hands of tribal members come from law enforcement.
Opponents of Prime Minister James Marape's government called on Monday for more police officers to be deployed and for the police commissioner to resign.
Papua New Guinea's population has more than doubled since 1980, increasing pressure on land and resources and intensifying inter-tribal rivalries.