French forces deploy to quell deadly New Caledonia unrest

Burnt-out cars are seen in the parking lot of the old hospital on the outskirts of Noumea, French territory of New Caledonia, May 16, 2024. [AFP]

Hundreds of military and armed police reinforcements deployed Friday to the riot-scarred streets of France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia, seeking to quell clashes that have left five people dead and hundreds injured.

Anger over France's plan to impose new voting rules spiralled into the deadliest violence in four decades in the archipelago of 270,000 people, which lies between Australia and Fiji - 17,000 kilometres (10,600 miles) from Paris.