A gang of young men is responsible for the brutal attacks, which involved the use of guns, knives, and axes.
Survivors have described scenes of terror, with people fleeing for their lives and hiding in the bush as their homes were burned. The death toll is feared to rise as the search for survivors continues.
Local authorities are struggling to respond to the crisis, with limited police resources in the area. The government has deployed additional police to assist with the investigation, but the perpetrators are believed to be known to local authorities.
The United Nations has condemned the violence, attributing it to a dispute over land ownership. This is not the first such incident in the country, with similar attacks occurring in recent months.
The massacre has shocked the nation and raised concerns about the escalating violence in Papua New Guinea. (ILKHA)