Pregnant women and eight children among 16 hacked to pieces in tribal massacre

Two pregnant women and multiple children were among 16 people hacked to pieces in a tribal massacre in Papa New Guinea.

The victims were stabbed and shot before their bodies were mercilessly chopped up at the village of Karida, in the Hela province.

Among victims were two pregnant women, while eight are said to be children aged between one and 15.

The reason behind the killings is unknown, but Hela Gov Philip Undialu believes an enemy tribe carried out a revenge attack for a previous massacre on Saturday that killed around seven people.

Two of those killed were pregnant women while eight are believed to be children aged 15 and below (AFP/Getty Images)

He said: "This has escalated into the massacre of innocent women and kids."

The villagers unknowingly opened their doors to the attackers who fired rifles at the tribe around 6am on Monday.

They attacked villagers with bush knives and burnt several houses down.

Speaking about the horrific attack, Philip Pimua, the officer in charge of the Karida health centre said: "I wake up in the morning, go to make a fire in my kitchen, at the same time I heard the sound of guns, then I saw some of the houses they were burning, so I knew that enemies are already inside the village.

Officials believe the massacre was an enemy revenge strike (AFP/Getty Images)

"So I just ran away and hide in the bush, then later on, about 9 or 10, I came back and saw bodies chopped into pieces and houses were burnt."

Mr Pimua believes the attack was a revenge strike from enemies, saying "they have fought for a long time there."

Police Chief Inspector Teddy Augwi told the Sun: "This is not a tribal fight where the opposing villagers face each other on field.

"This is a fight in guerrilla warfare, meaning they play hide-and-seek and ambush their enemies."

On Saturday, six people were killed near Peta causing victims' relatives retaliated, killing at least 16 people in Karida two days later, Mr Augwi said.

Mr Pimua and the other locals wrapped the victims' bodies in mosquito nets before fleeing the village.

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, James Marape wrote on Facebook : “Many children and mothers innocently murdered in Munima and Karida villages of my electorate by Haguai, Liwi and OKiru gunmen."