The Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin announced, late Saturday evening, a “major operation” this Sunday, May 19 in New Caledonia to “restart” the road between Nouméa and its international airport. “A major operation of more than 600 gendarmes, including around a hundred from the GIGN, is being launched at this very moment in New Caledonia aimed at completely regaining control of the 60 km main road between Nouméa and the airport,” he said. -he writes about X.
Flights to and from New Caledonia have been suspended since Tuesday, due to riots caused by an electoral reform deemed unacceptable by the separatists. On Saturday, the government of New Caledonia announced that 3,200 people were stranded in the absence of flights, either because they could not leave the archipelago or because they could not join it.
The violence left six dead, the latest on Saturday afternoon, a Caldoche (Caledonian of European origin) in Kaala-Gomen, in the North province. The other five dead are two gendarmes and three Kanak civilians, in the Nouméa metropolitan area.
In a press release published this Sunday morning, the High Commission of the Republic in New Caledonia reported a “calmer” night. “The State is mobilizing to ensure the protection of the population and reestablish republican order,” added the representation of the central State. She announced the upcoming arrival of “several hundred internal security, logistical and operational support and civil security forces”, in addition to the reinforcements already sent.