Security personnel withdrawn from Hela

Police officers who were deployed for the State of Emergency call-out operation in Tari, Hela, have been withdrawn from the province.

Commissioner for Police, Gari Baki, confirmed this today during a conference at the Police Headquarters in Port Moresby.

Baki said only a small contingent of defence and two sections of the mobile squad are still in the province.

The officers were pulled out for a couple of reasons; one of which is to reposition the men and prepare again for redeployment for the elections. The second reason is the issue of funding.

However, Baki says that will not stop them from going into phase two of the call-out operations, which will be the targeted operations in the province.

300 security personnel from the PNG Defence Force and Police were deployed to the area early this year.

The security operation aimed to restore law and order in Hela by removing all illegal firearms and high-powered weapons used in tribal fights, and other law and order issues.

 

PNG Loop file picture showing part of the initial 300 personnel that flew out

Author: 
Alfred Kaniniba