Hanoi Police on Thursday three police officers and one villager were killed in Vietnam amid conflict over land rights in a village on the outskirts of Hanoi.
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The deaths are the result of the ongoing conflict in the area surrounding Mieu Mon Airport, located in Dong Tam village around 30km south-west of Hanoi.
The deaths were announced in a statement by Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security. The statement is no longer accessible online, yet has been cited by local media.
Vietnam’s Defence Ministry is currently constructing a fence to protect the airport.
Villagers have expressed anger over the construction of the airport, which they say has led to land being taken away from them by the government.
Construction of the fence began on December 31.
The villagers and police were engaged in conflict, which saw the use of grenades, petrol bombs and other projectiles and resulted in the deaths of three police officers and one villager.
Authorities have since arrested villagers and continue to build the fence around Mieu Mon airport.
The government claims the right to recover the land, while villagers have protested against this action.
Fighting in the village over land rights has taken place for many years.
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In April 2017, more than 30 police officers were held hostage by villagers after police came to the village to arrest locals without issuing an arrest warrant.