A young girl whose mother was burned alive four years ago after being accused of being a witch has been brutally tortured with hot knives for the same alleged offence.

The victim, believed to be just six years old, is recovering in hospital after receiving treatment for wounds and burns after the savage attack in Papua New Guinea.

She was rescued by Lutheran missionary Anton Lutz from a remote village near Sirunki in the Enga province of the country late last week.

The savage attack took place in a remote village near Sirunki in the Enga province of Papua New Guinea late last week

The attack comes after footage emerged last month appearing to show three bound women being threatened with machetes after they had been accused of sorcery in the country

Mr Lutz told ABC News: 'It's the first time that I've had to deal with anything with a young child like this and it's always confronting.'

The victim is thought to be the daughter of Kepari Leniata, whose savage murder in 2013 made headlines around the world.

The 20-year-old had been accused of practicing sorcery, or sanguma as it is known locally, and was burned alive

She was tossed screaming on to a pyre of tyres after locals said she had killed the six-year-old son of a neighbour.

The Papua New Guinea prime minister, Peter O'Neill, took to Facebook to condemn the attack on the six-year-old girl

Witch hunting remains a widespread practice in Papua New Guinea (file photo)

Following the gruesome murder, Papua New Guinea's leaders pledged to combat so-called sorcery killings and they repealed the 1971 Sorcery Act, which allowed acts of sorcery to be used as a defence in a murder trial.

Sanguma in Papua New Guinea Sorcery and witchcraft are both widely believed in Papua New Guinea. Witch hunting remains a widespread practice on the island and people accused of being witches are blamed for unfortunate events such as the sudden death of a villager. Up until 2013, the accusation of sorcery was a plausible defence in murder cases thanks to the 1971 Sorcery Act. Its repeal only came after a series of savage and public killings, including that of Kepari Leniata. The 20-year-old had been accused of practicing sorcery, or sanguma as it is known locally, and was burned alive. But even its repeal has not halted sorcery-related violence. Local media reported that in the past month alone, at least 20 women have been the victim of sorcery-related violence. Advertisement

Despite this, attacks have continued and Mr Lutz said the attack on the girl last week was directly related to the accusations against her mother.

The country's Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, condemned the attack.

Writing on his official Facebook page, he said: 'Lets be clear, sanguma beliefs are absolute rubbish.

'In the modern day sanguma is not a real cultural practice, it is false belief and involves the violent abuse and torture of women and girls by pathetic and perverted individuals.

'The men behind these murders are cowards who are looking for someone to blame because of their own failure in life.

'These violent acts are against our values as a nation and are completely unacceptable.'

He called on communities and leaders to help end sanguma activities.

Witch hunting remains a widespread practice in Papua New Guinea and people accused of being witches are blamed for unfortunate events such as the sudden death of a villager.