Eighty people have been arrested following a community clash involving three villages on the Duke of York Islands in East New Britain, an incident that also resulted in two houses being destroyed by fire.

East New Britain Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Chief Superintendent Amanda Kates said police responded to the incident late last week after tensions escalated between the three communities.

Speaking to PNG HAUSBUNG, Chief Superintendent Kates said the police had arrested eighty people as investigations continued to establish the circumstances that led to the confrontation and the arson.

“From what we have gathered so far, it was just a community unrest and frustration that resulted in the exchange between the three villages,” Chief Superintendent Kates said.

According to Chief Superintendent Kates, one of the three villages withdrew early from the confrontation, leaving the other two to continue fighting.

Despite the scale of the incident, she said there were no reports of deaths or serious injuries.

“A few people sustained minor bruises from the fight, but fortunately there were no serious injuries or deaths,” she said.

All eighty individuals taken into custody have since been granted bail and released, though police confirmed that they are scheduled to appear in court in the coming days.

The clash was described as the only major incident attended by police in the province over the recent period, with no other serious incidents reported so far.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Kates said police will continue to gather information and investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Police are expected to closely monitor the affected communities as investigations continue, and those arrested prepare to face court.