By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
KIDNAPPERS that involved in the recent hostage situation in Southern Highlands province (SHP) are most dangerous and they are believed to be the same group that attempted to take hostages of Asians in a logging camp in Western province.
Deputy Police Commissioner for Operations, Philip Mitna revealed this saying “the gang made an attempt on the 2nd of February 2023 to kidnap the Asians, however, four Police officers from the Balimo Rural Police station foiled their plan by intercepting them and exchanged gun fire with them.
“And so, the gang retreated back across the Border into SHP and ended up taking out their frustration by kidnapping these seven researchers and guides on the 19th February 2023, for a cash ransom at Fogomaiyu village near Mt Bosavi on the border of Southern Highlands, Western and Hela,” Mitna said.
According to Police officers in Western Province, this gang from Komo in Hela Province is notorious in remote logging operations.
“They are guns and drugs smugglers along the PNG-Australian Border. They have been terrorizing and taking hostages of Asian workers at the Kamusi and Sesereme logging camps. They first took hostages of Asian workers and demanded K1.5million in December last year, which the company paid them and they release the hostages.
We then picked up intelligence report that they will kidnap Asian workers again at Kawalasi logging camp. And so, we went and set up camp there. And on the 9th February 2023, they attempted to attack the camp without knowing we were there and we exchanged gun fire with them and they left.
They then made another attempt at Musula logging camp. But we already heard intelligence report earlier and went first to Musula. So, when they attacked, we again foiled their plan and exchanged gun fire with them on the 10th February 2023.
This time we followed them and continued exchanging gun fire with them and that’s how they become frustrated, went across the border into the SHP and kidnaped these seven hostages.”
