Gunmen kill seven, more than a dozen missing after bus shot in Papua New Guinea | Pacific Islands

At least seven people have been killed and more than a dozen are still missing after gunmen ambushed a public bus and shot passengers in Enga province, Papua New Guinea.

The shooting occurred on Tuesday afternoon in the Lagaip district of Enga. More than 20 passengers were on the bus when men armed with high-powered weapons “created an ambush and fired indiscriminate shots into the vehicle,” Highland Western End Assistant Police Commissioner Joseph Tondop said in a statement on Wednesday.

Seven male passengers, including the driver, were killed. Local police said the bus driver turned the vehicle around after the attack and drove it to Wabag Hospital, about 50 minutes away, but later died as a result of the gunshot wound.

One person remains in a critical condition at Wabag Hospital and at least 17 are missing. Tondop said it was unclear whether the missing passengers were still alive or wounded and may be hiding in bushes or seeking shelter with neighboring clans.

Early Wednesday, police launched a search operation for the missing passengers, starting at the site of the ambush, Tondop said.

Tondop said the attack was a “revenge killing.” It is believed to be related to a complaint from one of the bus passengers and represents the latest outbreak of long-running violence between various tribal groups in Enga province.

Clans have fought each other in Papua New Guinea for centuries, but the violence has become increasingly deadly, largely due to the influx of more sophisticated weapons. Firearms, machetes and hand grenades are regularly used in tribal fighting.

The recent violence has claimed dozens of lives and destroyed homes, infrastructure and businesses in the province. In February, at least 50 people were killed in a massacre by rival tribes in a conflict stemming from long-standing land disputes. It is complicated and determined by customs and beliefs that go back generations.