New Caledonia, a special subject of France, became the scene of violent unrest
A curfew has been imposed in the area. 5 people were killed during the riots. The French Foreign Ministry accused Azerbaijan of allegedly playing a role in the rise of separatism in France.
A curfew was imposed earlier in New Caledonia amid ongoing clashes between independence supporters and opponents, and the French government said the situation on the island would be brought under control in the coming hours.
French mass media reports that unrest in New Caledonia has been going on for three days, but last night was relatively peaceful.
About 4,000 pro-independence supporters, and about 5,000 outside the city, are participating in the riots in Noumea.
A gendarmerie officer was killed Thursday, May 16, during riots in a French overseas territory of dozens of South Pacific islands. The number of victims of riots reached five people. In addition, the curfew has been extended until May 17.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said that about 2,700 policemen and gendarmes will be sent to the island and assured that the situation will be brought under control in the next few hours.
Darmanin also reported that a man was arrested on suspicion of killing two local residents.
On the France-2 TV channel, the minister accused Azerbaijan of organizing riots in New Caledonia.
The Minister of Internal Affairs also said that some supporters of independence had allegedly concluded some kind of "agreement" with Azerbaijan. "This is not fiction, this is reality," said the head of the department.
- What happened before the curfew in New Caledonia
Pro-independence supporters in New Caledonia oppose the French government's proposed constitutional reform, saying it would reduce their electoral influence.
About 200 offices and more than 50 cars were burned during two days of unrest on the island.
Security forces arrested 130 people, more than 60 security forces were injured. A curfew has been imposed in New Caledonia as violence escalates.
New Caledonia, the capital of which is Noumea, is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean with an area of about 19,000 square kilometers.
New Caledonia produces important minerals such as chromium, cobalt, molybdenum, copper, gold and nickel. At the same time, the export of nickel ore became one of the main sources of income for the islands. New Caledonia has about 10% of the world's reserves of this metal - the second largest.
The region has the right to independently decide its internal affairs, but the foreign policy of the region is determined according to the French Constitution. The population of New Caledonia is about 300,000 people, mainly representatives of the local people - the Kanaks.
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