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Dozens of people have been killed in a clash between tribes in Papua New Guinea's Highlands that's been described as an "ambush".
The bloodshed came amid a long-running tribal dispute in Enga province, 582 kilometres north-west of the capital, Port Moresby.
While police initially said they had found as many as 64 bodies, the death toll was later revised down to at least 26 with police saying they had received the "wrong head count".
"A lot of people have been killed, the biggest number killed in a massacre in a very long time," said Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary acting Superintendent George Kakas.
Here's what we know so far.
How did the massacre happen?
According to local authorities, one of the tribes — with help from allies and mercenaries — was on its way to attack a neighbouring tribe over the weekend when they were ambushed.
Police have warned these types of clashes have become more deadly due to the increasing numbers of firearms being brought illegally into PNG.
"This [massacre] is only made possible through the use of many, many small arms and it is a concern," Police Commissioner David Manning told the ABC.
Graphic video on social media showed bodies of the victims loaded onto a police truck.
How dangerous is the area for bystanders?
Anna Blake, principal of the nearby Highland Lutheran International School, said students awoke to sounds of gunshots at 5:30am on Sunday.
She said she initially thought the gunshots were balloons being popped.
"So when I when it dawned on me that there was actually gunshots I knew that there is a battle and so I quickly had to go and get the students together and tell them to come to a central place," she said.
She said that when she first arrived at the school four years ago, she was scared for her life.
After seeing that the tribes mostly only target each other, she now feels it's not that dangerous as long as she stays out of the crossfire.
She wanted to make it clear that she did not support either side involved in the conflict.
"The fight is between the two warring tribes," she said. "And it is not our problem."
Why is there such animosity behind rival tribes?
As many as 17 different tribes may have been involved in the recent violent clashes.
The International Red Cross says fights between rival tribes can start over land disputes, the deterioration of relationships or just misunderstandings.
"In the Highlands, clans take up arms against each other to defend their pride and interests," it wrote on its website.
How did the violence start?
At least 60 people in the same area were killed last year in violence that began with an ambush at a funeral.
A man was found dead in a local river and his tribe blamed the man's parents-in-law, from another village.
At his funeral in May, attackers killed five people with bush knives and axes.
In the months following, tit-for-tat retribution spiralled out of control, and more tribes became involved. Villages were raided and burnt down.
Facing escalating tribal fighting, Enga Province was put into lockdown for several months.
What is being done to restore the peace?
Additional security forces have been deployed to the area following the escalation of violence.
Commissioner Manning has also called on provincial and local leaders in Enga to directly intervene with their people to calm tensions.
He said legislation was also being introduced to parliament that will further strengthen the law enforcement capacity of security forces to intervene to prevent acts like this from occurring.
The vice minister for works and highways, Miki Kaeok, has called on the government to declare a state of emergency.
How has the international community reacted?
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia would be willing to provide more immediate assistance if PNG requested it, describing the incident as "disturbing".
Australia has already agreed to expand support and training for PNG police under a security agreement signed last year.
"We remain available to provide whatever support we can in a practical way to help our friends in PNG," Mr Albanese told ABC Radio in Perth.
ABC/wires