<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Four police officers were killed and two others injured in shootings at two police headquarters in Vietnam's Central Highlands on Sunday, authorities said.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sixteen people were arrested in connection with the shootings in Cu Kuin district of Dak Lak province, according to the official website of the ministry of public security (MPS).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two people being held hostage by the attackers were freed, it added, while another person being held managed to free himself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The attacks on the police headquarters of both Ea Tieu and Ea Ktur communes occurred in the early hours of Sunday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The MPS said four police officers were killed while on duty and had been given posthumous promotions. Two other officers were injured.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An earlier report on the site said local officials and civilians were also caught up in the attacks, but did not provide casualty figures.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Investigators were searching for more suspects, it added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Police could not be reached for comment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Central Highlands, home to a number of ethnic minorities, is considered a sensitive area for Vietnam's authoritarian government and has long been a hotbed of discontent over issues that include land rights.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some tribes in the area -- collectively known as Montagnards -- sided with the US-backed south during Vietnam's decades-long war. Some are calling for more autonomy, while others abroad advocate independence for the region.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several state media outlets withdrew their reports about the incident earlier on Sunday, before republishing them hours later.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gun violence is extremely uncommon in Vietnam, where it is illegal for citizens to own firearms and the black market for weapons is limited.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Four people were shot dead at an illegal cockfighting betting ring on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh city in January 2020.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In another rare shooting in 2016, two senior officials in northern Yen Bai province were killed by a colleague at their office before the gunman shot himself. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>