15 Killed in Papua New Guinea Amid Looting Following Police Strike

Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported today that 15 people have been killed in widespread looting and arson in Papua New Guinea, prompting the Prime Minister of the Pacific Island nation to call for calm after a day of protests. The update from the police indicated that eight people died in riots in the capital, Port Moresby, while seven others were killed in Lae in the north of the country. Protests by police and public sector workers yesterday against wage cuts led to chaos. Officials stated that the cuts occurred due to an administrative error. Footage showed thousands in the streets of Port Moresby, with many appearing to carry stolen goods amid rising columns of smoke throughout the city. Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape stated in a press conference today that tensions have calmed in the capital. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese mentioned that Canberra has not received any requests for assistance from Papua New Guinea, which it regularly supports in security matters. Police went on strike early Wednesday after discovering wage reductions. The government posted messages on social media denying the imposition of new taxes on police, and Marape pledged to correct any administrative errors that caused the wage shortages.