Between late December and mid-January, Morobe province on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea was the site of several violent fights and retaliatory acts. ACLED records six violent incidents in Morobe in January, twice the monthly average for 2024.
Laura Sorica, East Asia Pacific Research Manager with ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data) said:
“Our data shows several incidents of retaliatory violence in Morobe province in January. Over 200 people were displaced after 25 houses were burned down in Dona village in retaliation for the killing of a young man on 30 December. In another incident, the Papua New Guinea Defence Force responded to local youths stoning a soldier’s vehicle in Lae, destroying property, burning homes, and attacking a man in reprisal violence that lasted two days. Retaliation is one of the most prevalent types of violence in Papua New Guinea. Without adequate intervention, I suspect that this trend is likely to persist if the underlying causes are not addressed.”
For further information please see ACLED’s February 2025 Asia Pacific Regional Overview.
ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data) is an independent, impartial, international non-profit organization collecting data on violent conflict and protest in all countries and territories in the world.
