CANBERRA, Australia — Papua New Guinea safety forces are ready to make use of deadly pressure to free a international nationwide and three residents of the South Pacific island nation from armed criminals, the police commissioner stated.

The international nationwide and three Papua New Guinea college college students have been “being held by criminals within the border area of South Highlands, Hela and Western Provinces,” the police commissioner, David Manning, stated in a press release dated Monday and obtained by The Related Press early Tuesday.

The international nationwide is a New Zealand citizen who lives in Australia and works as an archaeologist at an Australian college, Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported. The media outlet stated it was not releasing the archaeologist’s identify because of the sensitivity of the scenario.

Manning stated the protection of the hostages was the highest precedence of safety forces who “are working inside their set guidelines of engagement in coping with these criminals.”

“Our specialised safety pressure personnel will use no matter means essential in opposition to the criminals, as much as and together with using deadly pressure, in an effort to present for the protection and safety of the folks being held,” Manning added.

Neither the Australian nor the New Zealand authorities responded to requests for remark from the AP on Tuesday.