Papua New Guinea police have arrested five individuals linked to the brutal attacks in Angoram district that resulted in the deaths of approximately 25 people last week.
Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific correspondent in PNG, reported that the main instigators of the attacks on three remote villages in East Sepik are still at large. Armed and on the run, an estimated 30 young attackers targeted Tamara, Tambari, and Agrumara villages, reportedly over a land dispute.
The violence has displaced hundreds, with survivors reportedly hiding in the bushes. Waide noted the absence of government presence or assistance for the survivors, who are in desperate need of food and help.
East Sepik governor Allan Bird mentioned that tribal violence continues to worsen in the country. Last week, an Angoram villager, Andrew Sangi, told RNZ Pacific that the government was not actively involved in resolving the issue.
– RNZ