11 July

Guerrilla tribal fighting has left 14 people dead in the Mul-Baiyer district of Papua New Guinea's Western Highlands Province, local Post Courier reported on Thursday.

The clash was reportedly between two groups of Kewuti tribesmen, one of which ambushed the other.

Western Highlands police commander, senior inspector Jacob Kamiak, told the Post Courier that the ambush is not related to violent incidents in the Hela Province earlier this week which reportedly left 23 people dead, including women and children.

As tensions between the groups persist, schools and government services and projects in the area have been halted.

According to the district's police commander Sergeant Punta Las, an attempted peace discussion between the two sides in June was unsuccessful and violence erupted again.

(Xinhua)