At least 26 people are killed in massacre between warring tribes in Papua New Guinea

• Massacre came amid tribal violence in Enga Province
• Authorities expect death toll to rise
• READ MORE: Video emerges of pilot being held hostage in West Papua 

At least 26 people have been killed in a massacre in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, local officials have confirmed.

The men were shot dead in an ambush in the Enga Province in the remote highlands region of the South Pacific island nation on Sunday, the ABC reported.

The massacre was a major escalation in ongoing tribal violence in the region.

Confronting photos and footage have emerged of bodies being loaded onto police trucks as officers gather at the scene.

The massacre was reportedly related to a conflict between two tribes.

At least fifty-three people have been killed in a massacre in the highlands of the Enga Province, in Papua New Guinea, local officials have confirmed (pictured is locals in the Enga Province)

Papua New Guinea sits just north of Australia, with Sunday’s massacre in the Enga Province estimated to be the largest killing in the area

Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Acting Superintendent George Kakas said the massacre was the ‘largest killing’ they’d seen in the Enga province.

‘We’re all devastated, we’re all mentally stressed out. It’s really hard to comprehend,’ he told the publication.

‘These tribesmen have been killed all over the countryside, all over the bush.

‘Police and defence forces have had to go in to do their best to quell the situation at their own risk.

‘We started collecting bodies, scattered all over the battlefield, the roads, the riverside … and they were loaded onto police trucks and taken to the hospital.’

Acting Superintendent Kakas said one of the tribes had been on their way to attack a neighbouring group when they were suddenly ambushed.

Kakas initially said 53 combatants had died. But security forces later revised the death toll down to 26.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said news of the massacre was ‘very disturbing’.

‘We remain available to provide whatever support we can in a practical way, of course, to help our friends in PNG,’ he said.

Violence is not new in the province, with the area being locked down for three months last July to address ongoing tribal conflict.

Violence is not new in the province, with the area being locked down for three months last July to address ongoing tribal conflict (pictured is Enga Province)

The lockdown included a 9pm to 6am curfew and travel restrictions.

The measures were taken to help seize illegal firearms.

Enga Governor Peter Ipatas said authorities had been warned that such violence was going to be seen in the province.

‘From a provincial perspective, we knew this fight was going to be on and we [alerted] the security forces last week to make sure they took appropriate action to ensure this didn’t occur,’ he said.

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