Violent Fights for Independence Fuel Rising Death Toll in West Papua and PNG

As Bougainville vows to continue its fight for independence, a crucial conference between the parties in New Zealand looks set to make little progress.

A fire burns at the Double O nightclub where at least 18 people were killed in clashes between two groups, in Sorong in Indonesia's West Papua province on Jan. 25, 2022. YANTI/AFP via Getty Images

An unknown number of people have died in West Papua over recent weeks as fighting, mostly in remote mountainous areas with poor communications, continues.

Adding to the chaos, there have also been clashes between Indonesia’s military and the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement.