FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron declared a state of emergency last week following a series of deadly clashes in New Caledonia.
Marine forces were deployed in the French territory this past weekend to help quell the unrest.
The security forces launched a major operation to regain control of the highway to the international airport by using armored vehicles and backhoes to shove aside charred barricades.
More than 600 heavily armed police officers were dispatched to secure the main road connecting the capital with the airport.
The deadly clashes caused flights to and from New Caledonia’s main island to get canceled, with travelers forced to get stranded as routes were blocked.
Unrest and violent clashes gripped the French territory for about a week now as indigenous people have long sought independence from France.
