The alleged ringleader of a notorious gang accused of killing 11 children in Papua New Guinea has surrendered to police, marking a major breakthrough in the case.
Between July 16 and 18, about 30 men armed with guns, knives and homemade projectiles attacked two villages in the Kanda Circle area in East Sepik province.
Warning: The following story contains graphic content
About 26 people, including 11 children, were killed.
The alleged ringleader, who has been identified as Jerome Malakai, has been taken into police custody after turning himself in on Monday afternoon.
Five other alleged gang members are also in custody.
Police said they identified Mr Malakai in a graphic video posted on social media, which shows him and other gang members dismembering the body of a victim and parading body parts around.
It's alleged Mr Malakai orchestrated the attack as revenge for the murders of his relatives by a former local government councillor in the region.
Another ringleader and about 20 henchmen are believed to be hiding out in thick, remote swamp along the Sepik River.
Provincial Police Commander Christopher Tamari said the area was extremely difficult for police to access.
"It's quite a task to go up the river," he said.
Superintendent Tamari said police were using boats and local intelligence to try to track down the remaining suspects.
Woman and baby attacked
Those who survived the massacre are still in shock.
Joyce Mabianda was in a canoe with her six-month-old daughter and three other women checking their fish traps, when two men ambushed them.
She said they attacked her with machetes, cutting her back and slicing open her baby's forehead.
"The attack took us by surprise," she told the ABC.
"One of the gang members called out to me. He said: 'You, this woman, you will become my wife.'
"They took us captive, and raped us."
She managed to escape with her daughter and is taking refuge in the nearest town, Angoram.
Like many, she's too afraid to return home.
"A similar attack might happen again. Let the authorities round these gang members up first. Kill them if they have to," she said.
More than 200 people who fled their villages remain displaced, with host families saying more support is needed to provide food, clothing and shelter.
Power, politics and revenge
Detectives are now trying to piece together a complex history behind the massacre.
Police said it related to a series of unsolved murders, leadership disputes and family conflicts in the village of Tambari dating back more than a decade.
"The people that are currently seeking refuge … are suspects and the victims at the same time … it's a two-way thing," said Superintendent Tamari.
Joshua Willie, who is from Tambari village and was not involved in the massacre, told the ABC that he believed Mr Malakai was seeking revenge for the murders of his relatives, who he thinks were killed by former councillor James Karl.
Mr Karl was charged with manslaughter in 2020, but the case was dismissed due to a lack of evidence.
It's alleged Mr Malakai killed Mr Karl and his son, before targeting another councillor in the July massacre, over frustrations the councillor did not prosecute Mr Karl according to customary traditions.
Police have confirmed they believe the massacre was a revenge attack that became more widespread than initially planned.
"It's all political, it's all family," Superintendent Tamari said.
But he said it was still unclear why women and children were targeted.
"Why innocent children and females, ladies? This is uncalled for. This is so barbaric … I don't have any answer for that, so I'm sorry," he told ABC.
East Sepik Governor Allan Bird said it was unusual.
"In the past, any of the fighting would never target women and children. In this case, they have. So that's something we're still not clear on," he said.
Police resources needed
As villagers grapple with the aftermath of the attack, some have accused police and authorities of failing to deal with law-and-order issues over the past decade.
Governor Bird said police in the vast district had struggled with severe shortages in staff and resources.
"Angoram is a very large [district] … we've got 20 policemen there in an area the size of the Solomon Islands," he told ABC.
"All of these issues have been simmering over time, it could have been 15 or 20 years, and it's just kind of reached a head."
More than 40 extra police officers have been sent to the district to investigate the massacre, as well as a riot in another major town two weeks ago.
Governor Bird called on the PNG police commissioner to permanently allocate more police to the region.
He said the provincial government had been stepping in to address shortfalls in resourcing of vehicles, fuel and other supplies.
"People committing crimes, not being arrested, being allowed to remain in the community and continuing to perpetrate those crimes and other crimes — it just emboldens people when they start doing the wrong thing," he said.
