SUMMARY
The non-state conflict pitting the Yopo Alliance consisting of the Ambulin, Lungipin, Nenei, Sau, Sau Walep, Yandamau, and Yopo tribes, against the Palinau Alliance, made up of the Kaekin, Lanzerakin, Lyona, Mupapalum, Murap, Palinau, Sakaikin, Sikin, and Wapukin tribes stemmed from a complex, long-standing feud in Papua New Guinea's Enga province. Tribal conflict has been a way of life in the highlands of Papua New Guinea where warfare has been an acceptable tool to settle disputes between tribes. Family conflicts have tended to escalate as an attack on one tribesman has been considered an attack on the whole community. The conflicts are often sparked by disputes over land and resources and as the region has seen in influx of modern weapons, these conflicts have become deadlier.
Fighting between the two alliances started in November 2021 when a Palinau member was killed allegedly by Yopo members over a piece of land in Tsak Valley, Enga Province. The Palinau and its allies retaliated by raiding Yopo territory, killing five. Tension heightened again in late May 2023, with an ambush at a funeral. Tit-for-tat attacks followed, and more tribes joined in. By the end of August, hundreds had been killed in tribal clashes in the region, with at least 60 of them connected to the conflict between the Yopo Alliance and the Palinau Alliance. In September 2023, a ceasefire agreement was signed between the tribes involved in the fighting.
The conflict reignited in February 2024, after the Ambulin tribe learned of a potential attack by the Palinau Alliance. In response, they ambushed the tribes living in the village of Akom, located on the border between the Wabag and Wapenamanda districts. The Wapenamanda massacre, which is considered the deadliest in Papua New Guinea's Highlands in recent years, resulted in an estimated 60–70 deaths, according to eyewitnesses and perpetrators. Mercenaries, or ‘hired guns’ were employed to fight and accounted for the majority of fatalities. The influx of mercenaries using guerrilla tactics, combined with the spread of modern and illegal firearms, significantly escalated the violence. In a peacebuilding effort, the Papua New Guinean government, along with the leaders of the warring parties, successfully negotiated a ceasefire in March, ending the cycle of revenge killings. No further deaths were reported for the remainder of the year.
The non-state conflict between the Yopo Alliance consisting of the Ambulin, Lungipin, Nenei, Sau, Sau Walep, Yandamau, and Yopo tribes, against the Palinau Alliance, made up of the Kaekin, Lanzerakin, Lyona, Mupapalum, Murap, Palinau, Sakaikin, Sikin, and Wapukin tribes first became active in UCDP data in 2023. In July that year, fighting in the Wapenamanda district of Enga province caused 15 fatalities, resulting in the dyad crossing the threshold of 25 battle-related deaths.
