Papua New Guinea: Rioting looters kill 16 after police go on strike

Rioting killed 16 people in Papua New Guinea after police, soldiers and prison guards went on strike over a pay glitch. Thousands took to the streets of Port Moresby, the capital, prompting the Pacific island nation’s prime minister to declare a 14-day state of emergency on Thursday. One looter was seen carrying off a fridge-freezer on his shoulders as rioters torched buildings and ransacked shops, sending plumes of black smoke drifting over the city. Nine people died in the violence in Port Moresby, where a group gathered outside the prime minister’s office tore a security gate off its hinges and set fire to a police car. Read more here: #papuanewguinea #portmoresby #looting Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now: Get the latest headlines: and are websites of The Telegraph, the UK’s best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.