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Associated Press
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Clash in Indonesia's restive Papua region kills 18 rebels and 2 police officers
JAYAPURA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia's security forces have clashed with separatist rebels in the restive Papua region, leaving at least 18 insurgents and two police officers dead, officials and the rebels said Friday. The battle erupted Wednesday when dozens of rebels armed with military-grade weapons and arrows attacked troops preparing to offer health and education services to villages in Intan Jaya, a hotbed of the insurgency, said Lt. Col. Iwan Dwi Prihartono, a military spokesperson. 'The situation changed when an armed group ambushed dozens of government soldiers,' Prihartono said in a video statement. 'So at that moment we carried out a measured and professional action operation.' Security forces seized one assault rifle, a homemade rifle, several arrows, rounds of ammunition and a 'morning star' flag — a separatist symbol — after the clash, Prihartono said, adding there were no casualties on the government side. Rebels in Papua have been fighting a low-level insurgency since the early 1960s, when Indonesia annexed the region, a former Dutch colony. Papua was incorporated into Indonesia in 1969, after a U.N.-sponsored ballot that was widely seen as a sham. Sebby Sambom, a spokesman for the rebel West Papua Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement, said only three of the group's fighters were killed. He claimed that the rest of the dead were 'innocent residents' shot by the troops. Sambom said the rebels killed two police Friday in the neighboring regency of Puncak Jaya in retaliation for the death of Bumiwalo Enumbi, a key member of the group. Rebel attacks have spiked in recent years, with dozens of rebels, security forces and civilians killed. Last month, the rebels said they attacked a gold panning camp in the Yahukimo regency, killing 17 people, and said the victims were members of Indonesia's army disguised as gold miners, a claim that was denied by authorities. ___ Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.
TimesLIVE
16-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Eighteen separatists killed in Papua region, says Indonesian military
Indonesia's military has killed 18 Papuan separatists during an operation in its easternmost region of Papua, an official said on Thursday, and three civilians also died. The military seized dozens of munitions, including an assault rifle, bows and arrows and an unspecified homemade weapon during Wednesday's operation, military spokesperson Kristomei Sianturi said. The Indonesian military sustained no casualties. A spokesperson for the Papua separatists Sebby Sambom said three of their members had died. Three civilians were killed during the shoot-out between rebels and soldiers, a prominent church group with a chapter in Papua said, citing local church reports. Nearly 1,000 people have been evacuated.
Arab News
10-04-2025
- Arab News
Rebels in Indonesia's Papua kill 17 people disguised as soldiers
JAKARTA: Rebels in Indonesia's Papua region said on Thursday they have killed more than 17 people since the weekend, claiming that they were soldiers disguised as gold miners, and police said the insurgents were holding two hostages. A low-level but increasingly deadly battle for independence has simmered between security forces and rebels in resource-rich Papua ever since it was controversially brought under Indonesian control in a vote overseen by the United Nations in 1969. Sebby Sambom, a Papuan rebel spokesperson, said in a statement the rebels had killed more than 17 people since April 6, including five on Wednesday, and claimed they were military members disguised as gold miners. 'If the Indonesian government military wants to chase us, please come to Dekai town, we are in the town,' Sebby said, referring to a town in Yahukimo district, where the incident took place. Frega Wenas, a spokesperson for the country's defense ministry, told reporters that 11 illegal miners were ruthlessly killed in the area and denied they were military officers, adding this was the rebels' propaganda. Separately, police said in a statement on Thursday that 35 people in the area were evacuated to another district, while two residents were still being held hostage by the rebels. Frega said the attack was one of the deadliest in recent years. In 2018, a separatist group killed 21 road construction workers in the highland area of Nduga. Rebels in Papua have in recent years managed to acquire better weapons, taken in raids on army posts or sourced from the black market. They have also abducted foreigners, including a New Zealand pilot who was released last year after being held for 19 months.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Yahoo
Rebels in Indonesia's Papua say they killed 17 people this week
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Rebels in Indonesia's Papua region said on Thursday they have killed more than 17 people since the weekend, claiming that they were soldiers in disguise as gold miners, and police said the insurgents were holding two hostages. A low-level but increasingly deadly battle for independence has simmered between security forces and rebels in resource-rich Papua ever since it was controversially brought under Indonesian control in a vote overseen by the United Nations in 1969. Sebby Sambom, a Papuan rebel spokesperson, said in a statement on Thursday the rebels had killed more than 17 people since April 6, including five on Wednesday, and claimed they were military members disguised as gold miners. "If the Indonesian government military wants to chase us, please come to Dekai town, we are in the town," Sebby said, referring to a town in Yahukimo district, where the incident took place. Faizal Ramadhani, a senior police official who is the chief of the peace task force in Papua, confirmed the rebel attack to Reuters on Thursday. He said police have yet to confirm a death toll as officers are still on the way to the area. Indonesia's national military denied the people killed by rebels were their officers, adding this was a hoax, its spokesperson was quoted by state news agency Antara as saying. Separately, police said in a statement on Thursday that 35 people in the area were evacuated to another district, while two residents are allegedly still being held hostage by the rebels. Rebels in Papua have in recent years managed to acquire better weapons, taken in raids on army posts or sourced from the black market. They have also abducted foreigners, including a New Zealand pilot who was released last year after being held for 19 months.
Reuters
10-04-2025
- Reuters
Rebels in Indonesia's Papua say they killed 17 people this week
JAKARTA, April 10 (Reuters) - Rebels in Indonesia's Papua region said on Thursday they have killed more than 17 people since the weekend, claiming that they were soldiers in disguise as gold miners, and police said the insurgents were holding two hostages. A low-level but increasingly deadly battle for independence has simmered between security forces and rebels in resource-rich Papua ever since it was controversially brought under Indonesian control in a vote overseen by the United Nations in 1969. Sebby Sambom, a Papuan rebel spokesperson, said in a statement on Thursday the rebels had killed more than 17 people since April 6, including five on Wednesday, and claimed they were military members disguised as gold miners. "If the Indonesian government military wants to chase us, please come to Dekai town, we are in the town," Sebby said, referring to a town in Yahukimo district, where the incident took place. Faizal Ramadhani, a senior police official who is the chief of the peace task force in Papua, confirmed the rebel attack to Reuters on Thursday. He said police have yet to confirm a death toll as officers are still on the way to the area. Indonesia's national military denied the people killed by rebels were their officers, adding this was a hoax, its spokesperson was quoted by state news agency Antara as saying. Separately, police said in a statement on Thursday that 35 people in the area were evacuated to another district, while two residents are allegedly still being held hostage by the rebels. Rebels in Papua have in recent years managed to acquire better weapons, taken in raids on army posts or sourced from the black market. They have also abducted foreigners, including a New Zealand pilot who was released last year after being held for 19 months.
