Police kill two men during an operation in the French territory of New Caledonia this night, reports "Reuters". This is happening against the background of unrest between the local Kanaks and the French loyalists, quoted by BTA.
The killings brought the death toll on the Pacific island to 13 since the start of the crisis sparked by controversial electoral reform that was overturned in June.
The incident happened in St. Louis – a stronghold of the independence movement, located south of the capital Noumea. Police are looking for about a dozen people suspected of involvement in armed robberies and attacks on security forces.
A gendarme opened fire after the security forces were threatened by a group of armed individuals, and killed two of them, the police said.
Supporters of independence reported that the two killed were Kanaks.
The Kanaks fear that the reform will dilute their vote and make it more difficult to hold future referendums on independence. Paris, however, claims the measure is necessary to improve democracy by allowing more French citizens to vote.
Although President Emmanuel Macron suspended the reform plan in June, violence continues in New Caledonia, a major nickel producer.