Police says the area where the kidnappers are hiding is dense jungle with no road or water access. Photo: AFP / Chris McCALL
Five schoolgirls and a male community health worker remain in captivity nearly two weeks after an armed kidnapping in Western Province, Papua New Guinea.
A man, woman and a teacher managed to escape, and the health worker's wife was released the day of the abduction on 12 May.
The kidnappers, a group of armed men from Hela Province, abducted the victims from Adjumari Village in the Middle Fly District.
The victims are believed to be held near the border of Western Province and the Southern and Hela Provinces.
The kidnappers are demanding a ransom of 550,000 kina (around US$132,000), and community members have been raising funds.
Police say that the motive involves a police shooting and the alleged killing of one of the group's members by local residents.
The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary has mobilised in response, but there is major concern within the community at what they see as the slow police response.
However, police have pointed out that the area where the kidnappers are hiding is dense jungle with no road or water access.
Three suspects have been apprehended - one shot dead while trying to escape, and the other two have been transferred to Kiunga - located near the Indonesian border in the Western Province - for investigation.
Additional police officers have been deployed for search and rescue operations, with assistance from Ok Tedi Mining and Santos.
Border Command assistant commissioner Steven Francis Photo: Supplied
"Our strategic partners acted swiftly and decisively to support our police requirements at a time when internal constraints limited our operational capacity," Border Command assistant commissioner Steven Francis said.
"Their contribution has been instrumental in our ongoing efforts to rescue the remaining hostages and bring the perpetrators to justice," he said.
According to police, the community has so far raised 12,000 kina to try and meet the ransom demand.
PNG Police Commissioner David Manning said in a statement that they will use the country's newly enacted counter-terrorism laws to apprehend the kidnappers.
"This is an act of domestic terrorism, and security personnel are authorised to use full force against the kidnappers if the hostages are not released safely," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
He added that "third parties" should "stay out of the situation" and allow the police to do its job.
