One more person was killed and two injured in an exchange of gunfire in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, the police and an informed source said Saturday.
The incident occurred at a roadblock in the archipelago's northern Kaala-Gomen area, General Nicolas Matthéos said, on a fifth straight night of rioting that has now killed six people and injured hundreds.
Hundreds of French security personnel have been deployed to try to restore, which has seen five nights of riots, looting and unrest. Bands of heavily armed French soldiers and police patrolled the capital Nouméa on Saturday, where streets were filled with debris from another night of violence that has already killed five people and injured hundreds.
AFP reporters in the city's Magenta district saw vehicles and buildings burned, with a phalanx of riot police on the scene trying to reassert government control. Overnight, residents reported hearing gunfire, the drone of helicopter rotors and "massive explosions" – what seemed to be gas canisters blowing up inside a building that was set alight.
For almost a week, the usually unhurried oceanside city has been convulsed. Two gendarmes have been killed: one shot in the head and a second shot in friendly fire, officials said. Three other people – all Indigenous Kanaks – have also been killed: a 17-year-old and two men aged 20 and 36.
The unrest has been blamed on economic malaise, social tensions and – above all – a political fight between mostly Indigenous pro-independence activists and Paris authorities.
French officials have accused a separatist group known as CCAT of being behind the riots. Ten activists accused of organizing the violence have been placed under house arrest, according to authorities. CCAT on Friday called for "a time of calm to break the spiral of violence."
The territory is "on a destructive path" warned local minister Vaimu'a Muliava Saturday, telling those involved "you are only punishing yourselves."
New Caledonia has been French territory since colonization in the late 1800s. Today's politics remains dominated by debate about whether the islands should be part of France, autonomous or independent – with opinions split roughly along ethnic lines.
The latest cycle of violence was sparked by plans in Paris to impose new voting rules that could give tens of thousands of non-Indigenous residents voting rights. Pro-independence groups say that would dilute the vote of Indigenous Kanaks, who make up about 40% of the population.
French authorities have called for talks and insist the situation is now "calmer" and being brought under control. "Reinforcements will control areas that have got out of our hands in recent days," said High Commissioner Louis Le Franc, the highest-ranking state official in New Caledonia.
They began landing Thursday at the French army-controlled La Tontouta International Airport and could be seen moving through Noumea in red berets, toting rifles, gas masks and riot shields. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said Thursday that about 1,000 extra security forces were being deployed – adding to the 1,700 already present.
Efforts to negotiate peace have so far stumbled. President Emmanuel Macron canceled a video conference with local political leaders Thursday for lack of willing participants, but began contacting pro- and anti-independence officials individually on Friday, his office said.