Two people were killed during a French police operation in New Caledonia on Thursday, according to French media. The police operation took place amid unrest between French loyalists and indigenous

French police shot and killed two men in New Caledonia on Thursday morning, stoking tensions with pro-independence groups days ahead of a public holiday marking France’s annexation of the Pacific archipelago.

Thousands of French police have been deployed to the overseas Pacific territory to quell unrest sparked by voting reforms proposed in Paris.

During an overnight security operation in New Caledonia, two men were killed south of the capital Noumea, the public prosecutor said on Thursday, taking the death toll to 13 after months of unrest in the French Pacific territory.

This latest incident brings the total number of deaths in the French Pacific territory to 13 since unrest broke out in mid-May.

French police have shot and killed two men in New Caledonia, stoking tensions with pro-independence groups days ahead of a public holiday marking France’s annexation of the Pacific archipelago.

Security forces in New Caledonia killed two men during an overnight operation, the public prosecutor said Thursday, taking the death toll to 13 after months of unrest in the French Pacific territory.Public prosecutor Yves Dupas said security forces on an observation mission fired two shots after being "directly threatened by a group of armed individuals".