Akols tribe attacks police-soldier convoy escort, 8 Pepet people shot dead, 20 others injured

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The blood-stained truck that carried Pepet men, women and children.

Akols tribe attacks police-soldier convoy escort, 8 Pepet people shot dead, 20 others injured

PORT MORESBY: Ambun Valley’s Akols tribesmen launched a deadly attack on Tuesday (June 1, 2021) that saw eight people from Pepet clan, including women and children, shot dead despite being escorted by armed policemen and soldiers.

Another 20 Pepet tribe people were also injured in the attack.

The convoy was ambushed near Enga’s Lai Bridge heading to Nandi village at about 6pm.

They were on their way back to their villages after a court hearing in Wabag town between Mup and Pepet clans.

Read the full story as reported by The National:

8 killed in ambush

June 3, 2021The NationalMain Stories

The blood-stained back of the truck which was carrying men, women and children of the Pepet tribe in Enga to their village escorted by soldiers and policemen on Tuesday after they were ambushed by armed thugs. Eight villagers died and 20 were wounded.

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
EIGHT people were killed when members of a tribe, including women and children, escorted by policemen and soldiers were fired upon in an ambush in Enga. Provincial police commander acting Supt Ephenes Nili said the incident took place on Tuesday after a court hearing in Wabag town between members of the Mup and Pepet clans. “It is alleged that the (men who staged the ambush) had been told (beforehand) of the convoy heading their way,” he said. “(But) they were not aware that there were policemen and soldiers in the convoy.” He confirmed that eight deceased plus the 20 injured were all from the Pepet tribe who were being escorted to their village by the policemen and soldiers.  PNG Defence Force Chief of Staff Captain Philip Polewara told The National that none of the soldiers was injured. Police also confirmed that no officer was injured. Acting Supt Nili said the shooting started between 5pm and 6pm when the convoy had passed the Lai Bridge heading to Nandi village. “The assailants believed to be men from the Akols tribe in the Ambum Valley set up the ambush on a hill overlooking the Lai Bridge,” he said. “When the convoy was negotiating the road up the hill towards Nandi village, the group came out of their hiding spots, (firing) indiscriminately on the vehicles,” he said. He said the soldiers and the members of the police mobile squad were trapped inside the vehicles and could not return fire.
“(They) could only try to avoid being shot,” he said. Acting Supt Nili said the disciplined forces were escorting the men, women and children of the Pepet tribe back to their village when the shooting began. “Within five minutes, eight people were hit by bullets, with the (gunmen) decamping from their spot on the hill,” he said. Police and soldiers chased after them but they all fled to safety. He said police arrested the councillor for the Mup tribe Tembon Samson and charged him with breaching the preventive order in place. “We have also identified the suspects and are (hunting) for those responsible for the killings,” he said. It was the second incident to happen in the area in a week. Last week, a convoy of vehicles belonging to the disciplined forces were fired on. Prime Minister James Marape is scheduled to travel to Enga this week for the continuation of talks to reopen the Pogera mine.

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