At least 15 dead as riots break out in Papua New Guinea

At least eight people died and several injured as riots broke out in Papua New Guinea's capital city of Port Moresby over tax hikes.

Protestors include the police and public servants, who claim that the government had deducted $100 from their paychecks while the government refuted these claims saying the deduction had been due to a computer glitch and that they had not made any deductions, BBC reported on Thursday.

Another seven people have died in the city of Lae where shops and cars were set on fire, and supermarkets were looted as hundreds took to the streets after police went on strike. A shopping mall was also set on fire.

The US embassy reported hearing several gunshots near its compounds. The Chinese embassy has also complained to the Papua New Guinea government, saying several Chinese businesses were attacked and several Chinese nationals injured.

In a radio broadcast, the National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop said that the looting had been carried out by "opportunists".

The government in a bid to restore order has deployed the army.

In an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation PNG think-tank analyst Samson Komati said: "The events of today in Port Moresby are manifesting and revealing the inner social and economic pains and suffering of police, military, and other public servants of PNG, as well as all workers and ordinary people".