Papua New Guinea will give the military the power to arrest, Prime Minister James Marape said Monday, following at least 26 deaths in an intertribal ambush that occurred Sunday in remote Wapenamanda.
Arrest powers are normally reserved for police.
The death toll was initially 53, but security forces revised the number to 26.
The deaths were mainly among the Sikin and Kaikin tribes, which have been fighting with the Ambulin tribe, according to NBC News.
Reuters reported that although the death toll was lowered, it is likely to be revised up again. Papua New Guinea Police Commissioner David Manning is set to travel to the Enga province where the attacks took place and where social media images of the attack included bodies stacked on a truck.
The attacks were a "disgraceful act of cruelty," Manning said.
Marape condemned the attacks, urging tribes to find peaceful means to resolve conflicts.
"There is no prize to be engaged in tribal fights. … Lay down your arms," he said.
Marape also had a warning for "youths holding guns," saying they would be arrested and face life in prison.
During a video press conference, Marape also expressed his anger at the attacks.
"To lose one life, let alone many lives, does not evade our consciousness and our concern," he said.
He added that as prime minister, he is "deeply moved" and "very angry."
The move to give military officials the power to arrest will accompany plans to establish a special police unit, Marape, said, adding that up to 200 officers would be part of it. The unit would be trained in Australia and used in Papua New Guinea to deal with "domestic terrorists."
Australia said in December it would provide $200 million for police training. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday the news of the attacks was "very disturbing" and reiterated the country’s support for the Pacific Island nation.
Japan has also vowed support Monday for defense forces, saying it would fund the purchase of dozens of police vehicles.
Papua New Guinea, with hundreds of tribes speaking more than 800 languages, has seen increasing outbreaks of violence from warring tribes over the years. This violence has worsened as weaponry has become more advanced.
Last year in the Enga province, 60 people were killed.
George Kakas, a senior officer in the Papua New Guines police force, told ABC News that "these tribesmen have been killed all over the countryside, all over the bush."
John Luther, a leader of Akom village that saw some of its warriors killed in the ambush, told The Associated Press that they do not plan to retaliate.
"We've lost a lot of lives. I don't feel like we should be able … to retaliate," Luther said.
"We're already weak in numbers," he added, saying he wouldn't let his people go out and fight again.
According to Luther, villagers were ambushed from a school building while they were on a mission to avenge a death that occurred in a nearby allied village. He claims the military armed and aided the ambush.
Oliver Nobetau, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute, expects the violence to worsen.
"Revenge killings tend to be a normal thing that happens," he said, and "tribal violence is something that is prevalent."
He added that the government, which has limited resources, will attempt to deploy the police when it can.
Enga Governor Peter Ipatas said he warned security forces that tribal fighting was imminent and "to make sure they took appropriate action to ensure this didn't occur."
Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press and Reuters.
