Tribal clashes over gold mine leave at least 30 dead in Papua New Guinea

A series of clashes between rival tribes over a contested gold mine has resulted in at least 30 fatalities in Papua New Guinea, the BBC reported on Monday citing local police.

Authorities have been granted emergency powers to quell the violence, including the option for “lethal force,” as stated by the police commissioner.

Structures have been torched, and schools, hospitals, and government buildings in the area have been shut down, according to the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier.

Tribal disputes are common in Papua New Guinea’s highlands, but the recent surge in violence has been “turbocharged” by an influx of automatic firearms, according to law enforcement.

Earlier this year, at least 26 individuals were killed, including 16 children, when three villages in East Sepik province were assaulted.