Police, soldiers hunt gang responsible for ambush in Enga

POLICEMEN and soldiers engaged in a special operation in Enga are looking for the gang who ambushed a group of policemen last Sunday.
Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Operations Samson Kua said they know who the suspects were.
“We know who they are and our boys are working around the clock to hunt them down in Porgera valley,” he said.
Kua said Mt Hagen-based mobile squad members Senior Constable Semi Tinga was shot in the thigh and First Constable Andrew Wapi in the head.
The incident happened at around 11pm on Sunday involving more than 30 men. “There are five mobile squads, a dog unit, detectives, prosecutors and two sections of the PNGDF engaged in the three-week operations in Porgera,” he said.
“Our aim is to flush out illegal miners, weapons, drugs, homebrew and other illegal activities in Porgera valley.
“We will also arrest people in possession of unregistered firearms.”
Kua said they would cut off all routes coming into the valley from neighbouring Kandep and Hela.
“These are routes used to smuggle arms, homebrew and drugs into the valley,” he said.
“These are also escape routes for criminals commuting between the valley and outside areas.”
Meanwhile, Kua said the injured policemen were receiving medical treatment at the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby.
They were flown to Port Moresby on Monday.