PORGERA VALLEY, Papua New Guniea: At least 20 people have been killed, and hundreds of women and children displaced, following four days of violent clashes between two clans near the Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea’s Enga Province. The fighting, which began over a dispute between illegal miners, escalated when one clan launched an attack on the other, resulting in further fatalities.
Buildings were set on fire, and operations at the Porgera mine were suspended. Mine workers sought refuge in the squash courts, fearing for their lives, while many women and children fled to safety at local shelters or were transported to safer locations.
The violence has overwhelmed local authorities, with 122 security personnel, including police and PNG Defence forces, struggling to contain the situation. Community leaders have called for stronger government intervention. Police Commissioner David Manning has issued emergency orders and a curfew to restore order and protect the region’s critical infrastructure and residents from the illegal miners causing chaos.
