Acts of terror leave bloody trail in Papua9181751

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

On September 19, 2020, an Indonesian soldier died in a gunfight with several armed Papuan rebels near 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, in accordance with 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 is 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 the recent statement.

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

The attackers seized his gun and magazine, according to Commander of 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 copying the Village Supervisory Non-Commissioned Officers (Babinsa) of the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command, Setiawan noted.

In 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 administrative centre of Mimika District, Setiawan stated.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) has condemned the latest shooting of Priest Yeremia Zanamban in the province, in which the security situation has stayed volatile due to its vulnerability to acts of deadly violence by armed separatists and their backers.