ALBAWABA - Gunmen attacked and shot passengers on a public bus in Enga province, Papua New Guinea, killing at least seven and leaving more than a dozen missing.
The shooting took place Tuesday afternoon in the Lagaip neighborhood of Enga. Joseph Tondop, the assistant police commissioner for the Highland Western End, said in a statement on Wednesday that individuals armed with powerful firearms "set up an ambush and fired shots indiscriminately" at the bus, which was carrying over 20 people.
The driver and seven other male passengers were killed. After the shooting, the bus driver reportedly turned the car around and drove to Wabag Hospital, which was around 50 minutes away, but he was later pronounced dead due to the bullet injury.
One person is still in critical condition at Wabag Hospital, while at least 17 are recorded missing. Tondop said it was uncertain if the missing passengers were still alive or injured, and they may be hiding in the bushes or sheltering with adjacent tribes.
Police began searching for the missing passengers early Wednesday, beginning near the location of the ambush, according to Tondop.
Tondop described the incident as a "payback killing". It is thought to be tied to a dispute with one of the bus passengers, and it is the latest breakout in a long-running conflict between rival ethnic groups in Enga province.
