Queensland university employee remains captive by armed criminals in remote Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinean police have confirmed that armed gunmen, hold up in a remote part of the border region of the country, have released a female hostage while a Queensland university employee remains captive.

A woman who had been taken hostage by gunmen in a remote part of Papua New Guinea has been released, with a Queensland university employee and two local colleagues still held captive.

The group were taken hostage by an armed group in the country’s Southern Highlands on February 20.

The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary released a statement on February 23 that one of the group, a PNG woman, had been released by group was now with police as negotiations continue to secure the release of the rest of the group.

It is understood that one of the hostages, an Australian national, is an employee of a Queensland university.

Police Commissioner David Manning said officers were “authorised to use full force of the law” to secure the hostages and bring the group to justice.

“However, we are offering the abductors a way out,” Commissioner Manning said.

“They can release their captives and they will be treated fairly through the criminal justice system, but failure to comply and resisting arrest could cost these criminals their lives.

“Further information will be released by the RPNGC as and when further details can be made available by Deputy Commissioner Mitna as the Chief of Police Operations.”

PNG Prime Minister James Marape said the gunmen were holding the hostages near Fogoma’iu Village.

“We are treating this very, very diligently and carefully because lives are at risk and life is at stake,” he said

Mr Marape said contact had been made with those involved in the hostage situation through “secondary sources”.