Wellington [New Zealand], May 17: The French Pacific territory of New Caledonia was rocked by riots for a third night in a row after France's National Assembly approved contentious voting reforms which angered independence supporters.
Five people, including two police officers, have died so far in the unrest, while hundreds of others have been injured.
France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said one police officer died on Thursday as a result of "an accidental shot," broadcaster France Info reported. The main airport remained closed. The largest hospital announced that it was treating mainly only emergency cases. However, due to road blockades, many patients had problems reaching the hospital at all.
Local media published photographs and videos of destroyed supermarkets and petrol stations, which had been looted. Fires set off by pro-independence protesters were still being reported in shops, shopping centres and car parks.
Since the start of the riots in the territory of 270,000 residents, 206 people have been arrested, Darmanin told broadcaster France 2.
"Calm is being restored," he said, adding that additional police officers would be deployed to New Caledonia and the military would also be there to provide support only.
"There will be no army on the streets of New Caledonia," he said. Darmanin also accused Azerbaijan of meddling. According to French media reports, Azerbaijan is backing independence supporters in New Caledonia as part of the Baku Initiative Group.
Demonstrators in New Caledonia have displayed Azerbaijani flags and worn shirts with slogans of the Azerbaijani organization. Baku is retaliating against France's support for Armenia in the conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Source: Qatar Tribune