On Sunday, the French government deployed 600 policemen in New Caledonia to restore access to the international airport, that has been inoperative for days due to protests by pro-independence sectors. teleSUR
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00:00 On Sunday, the French government deployed 600 policemen in New Caledonia in order to unblock
00:04 access to Nouméa International Airport. The airport has been in lockdown for days due to
00:09 protests by pro-independence sectors. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced a major
00:13 operation to restore traffic to the 60 kilometers of road between Nouméa and the airport. Since last
00:18 Monday, the revolt over an electoral reform has left six people dead, among them two police.
00:24 Local authorities acknowledged that last night's barricades, fires and looting were reported in
00:28 different parts of the archipelago. This is the worst crisis in the overseas territory since 1988,
00:34 when 21 people were killed.
00:35 In this context, the French High Commissioner for the archipelago, Louis Lefranc,
00:45 said France has lost control over parts of New Caledonia. The official said that efforts would
00:49 be made to regain control over the lost areas and to recover urban spaces. Lefranc pointed out that
00:55 in three metropolitan areas there are hundreds of demonstrators still standing their ground,
00:59 despite police pressure. Also, media reports said the main hospital in the archipelago remains
01:04 inaccessible due to the clashes which prevent the arrival of ambulances to the facility.