PNG rebels claim 13 govt troop deaths

PNG rebels claim 13 govt troop deaths

SYDNEY (Reuter): Rebels on Papua New Guinea's Bougainville
Island yesterday reported killing 13 soldiers in an attack that
Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan said was a setback to peace in the
South Pacific's longest armed conflict.

Exact details of Sunday's attack remain unclear. Bougainville
Revolutionary Army (BRA) rebels said they had killed 13 soldiers,
captured five and had a further 15 trapped at the government base
at Kunga Beach in southern Bougainville.

As word of the attack spread, Australia yesterday offered to
host new peace talks between Port Moresby and rebels to end the
eight-year secessionist conflict.

The National newspaper in Port Moresby yesterday reported
defense sources as saying 12 soldiers were killed, 12 injured and
18 were still missing after the attack.

"It is the biggest number of casualties suffered by the PNG
security forces in any single engagement in the Bougainville
rebellion," said The National.

Chan described the attack as "barbaric".

"...it is not only a major setback on progress achieved to
date, but also aimed at sabotaging ongoing genuine efforts by
both sides resolving the Bougainville issue," he said in
statement received here yesterday.

"The government has done everything possible to restore
normalcy on Bougainville, however, with this kind of treatment by
the BRA, our initiatives and commitment for peace are once more
being jeopardized," Chan said.

Thousands have died from fighting or disease since the start
of the conflict on the resource-rich island, 800 kilometers
northeast of the Papua New Guinean capital.

The rebels' Bougainville Interim Government, set up in 1990 in
Arawa in the rebel-held central part of the island, said about
100 rebels attacked Kangu on Sunday afternoon.

"Reports just reaching us from Bougainville said there was
renewed and very heavy fighting between the Papua New Guinea
Defense Force (PNGDF) and the Bougainville Revolutionary Army
over the weekend," the interim government said in a statement.

"According to BRA information, five of the PNGDF soldiers
surrendered and handed over their arms and ammunition to the
BRA," it said. "The BRA also alleged that 13 of the PNGDF were
killed during the fighting," the statement said.

The statement said rebels had surrounded the Kangu camp where
15 soldiers were still alive.

"The remaining PNG soldiers are still surrounded and it is
feared that they are now helpless against the BRA soldiers, who
have the full command of the area. Time is now running out for
them," the statement said.

The statement named the five soldiers captured and listed
their serial numbers.