Australian among three abducted in Papua New Guinea

The chief of police in Papua New Guinea said on Monday that two other workers and an Australian helicopter pilot had been abducted in the country’s highlands.

“We are focused on resolving this as soon as possible,” Commissioner David Manning said, confirming the nationality of the pilot and adding that police were responding to the incident.

The pilot was kidnapped near Mount Sisa in the center of Hela Province, along with two other people who were presumably telecom employees.

Prime Minister James Marape told the media that the Australia High Commissioner has been informed about the issue. He said that the police are “attending to this and with (the) defence force we (are) moving into the area”.

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Numerous kidnappings and acts of tribal violence have occurred in the restive highlands of Papua New Guinea in recent years, leaving hundreds dead.

More than fifty bodies from conflicts between rival clans were discovered last week on the side of a major road.

The administration is under intense pressure to increase local security resources and address the rising rate of criminality.

“I want to inform all that crime does not pay, it ultimately leads to arrest or deaths of criminals so appreciate locals who are assisting police as we speak,” Marape said.

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Although information about the incident is still being gathered, Police Commissioner Manning stated that it was thought the potential attackers were “not from the area”.

“We are working closely with the community leaders,” he said.