Acts of terror leave bloody trail in Papua1108076
September has been the bloodiest month in Intan Jaya district, West Papua province, this coming year with armed separatists mounting a spate of attacks which 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 close to the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command’s compound in the district.
The fallen hero continues to be identified as First Private Dwi Akbar Utomo, according to XVII Cenderawasih Regional Military Command spokesperson, Lt. Col. Reza Nur Patria.
Within 24 hours, 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 within an ambush laid by 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, based on 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, ended up tasked with burning the Village Supervisory Non-Commissioned Officers (Babinsa) from 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 defined 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. The 2 drivers are 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, where the security situation has stayed volatile because of its vulnerability to acts of deadly violence by armed separatists as well as their backers.
