Acts of terror leave bloody trail in Papua965952

September may be the bloodiest month in Intan Jaya district, West Papua province, this season with armed separatists mounting a spate of attacks that have left two soldiers and two civilians dead and a couple others injured.

On September 19, 2020, an Indonesian soldier died inside a gunfight with several armed Papuan rebels nearby the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command’s compound in the district.

The fallen hero has been identified as First Private Dwi Akbar Utomo, based on XVII Cenderawasih Regional Military Command spokesperson, Lt. Col. Reza Nur Patria.

The same day, armed separatists also reportedly gunned down Priest Yeremia Zanambani in Hitadipa village, Hitadipa sub-district. This can be clearly a separatist acts of terror.

The priest died of gunshot wounds after he was shot by armed criminals on September 19, 2020, Joint Regional Defense Command (Kogabwilhan) III spokesperson, Col. IGN Suriastawa, noted in a recent statement.

On September 17, 2020, another soldier, Chief Sergeant Sahlan, was reportedly killed in an ambush laid by way of a group of armed separatists. He was time for the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command in Intan Jaya district with food supplies in the Sugapa area when he was attacked.

The attackers seized his gun and magazine, in accordance with Commander with the Biak-based 173/Praja Vira Braja Military Resort Command, Brig. Gen. Iwan Setiawan.

Sahlan, part of the 1404 Pindrang Military District Command in South Sulawesi province, had been tasked with burning the Village Supervisory Non-Commissioned Officers (Babinsa) of the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command, Setiawan noted.

Inside a separate incident on September 17, 2020, armed Papuan rebels reportedly tortured and killed a 49-year-old motorcycle taxi Ojek driver identified as Badawi.

On September 13, 2020, armed separatists opened fire at two other Ojek drivers in Sugapa area, but they managed to survive the attack. Both drivers are presently undergoing treatment in Timika, the capital of Mimika District, Setiawan stated.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) has condemned the latest shooting of Priest Yeremia Zanamban inside the province, the location where the security situation has always been volatile because of its vulnerability to acts of deadly violence by armed separatists as well as their backers.