They are now being investigated by the Yahukimo police
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Over the past three weeks, three innocent civilians were assaulted and killed in Yahukimo, Papua, with the latest murder on Wednesday (Aug 26), resulting in the death of Yausan, spokesman of the Papua Police stated.

Yausan, who boarded a pickup truck loaded with batako bricks along with two other residents, had been assaulted by a group of local residents armed with spears, machetes, and logs on Wednesday at around 4:10 p.m. local time, Police spokesman Sen. Coms. A. M. Kamal noted in a statement here on Thursday.

The 31-year-old victim was seated at the back of the open L-300 pickup truck to secure the loaded batako bricks, while a woman, who had purchased the bricks, and a man named Bayu sat in the car's cabin in front, Kamal stated.

According to Kamal, two other civilians murdered two weeks back comprised a member of Yahukimo District's General Elections Commission (KPU) Office and a carpenter.

They were attacked when the pickup truck passed by the bridge at Gunung Street in Kedai Sub-district's neighborhood. Yausan died in the assault, and his body was sent to the Dekai Public Hospital for a post-mortem examination, he remarked.

Several personnel of a joint team from local law enforcement agencies hunted down the armed attackers shortly after receiving a report on the deadly assault on the three innocent civilians.

During the chase, the culprits attacked the security personnel with spears. However, they were saved from the attacks. Nonetheless, local police officers managed to successfully arrest two of the notorious attackers, he stated.

"They are now being investigated by the Yahukimo police," he revealed.

The security situation in Papua remains prone to acts of deadly violence by notorious Papuan separatists.

The rebels were engaged in repeated exchanges of fire with the Indonesian military and police personnel. The rebels also launched deadly attacks on civilians over the past years and killed several of them.

The Papua Police recorded that during the period from early January to December 28, 2019, a total of 23 shooting and criminal cases involving armed Papuan groups had claimed the lives of 10 members of the Indonesian police and military as well as 10 civilians.

The armed Papuan criminals committed such criminal acts in the administrative areas of the districts of Puncak Jaya, Jayawijaya, Mimika, and Paniai in 2019, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw remarked on December 28, 2019.
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Translator: Alfian R, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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