Indonesian police killed a separatist rebel during a clash this week in Papua province that were followed by a deadly insurgent attack on public facilities, a provincial police spokesman announced on Friday.
Meanwhile, the armed wing of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) on Friday claimed that its fighters shot down a small cargo plane, killing three people on Wednesday, although authorities insisted the crash was an accident.
Provincial police spokesman Ahmad Musthofa Kamal said soldiers and police on a joint patrol on Monday in Pegunungan Bintang regency returned fire against insurgents.
“From the firefight, joint military-police personnel managed to kill one separatist member and two were injured,” Kamal said in a statement. The rebel who died was Elly M. Bidana who claimed to be the operation commander of the Ngalum-Kupel separatist group.
“The situation is safe now, though public services have been affected because of arson attacks on public facilities carried out by the armed criminal group,” Kamal said.
After the encounter, the rebels set fire to public buildings, including a health clinic, an elementary school, a bank, and housing for teachers and health workers, police said. An OPM spokesman claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Police retrieved the body of a nurse killed in the attack on the health clinic in Kiwirok district, a police spokesman said on Thursday.
Gabriela Meilan, 22, died after falling into a ravine while trying to flee from the scene of the attack. Her colleague, Kristina Sampe Tonapa, survived after suffering stab wounds and bruises.
Full story: BenarNews
Tria Dianti and Ronna Nirmala
Jakarta
Copyright ©2021, BenarNews. Used with the permission of BenarNews.
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