It was planned, clearly by the KKB (armed criminal group), TPNPB (the West Papua National Liberation Army).
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD asserted that the armed criminal group had planned the ambush against the joint fact-finding team (TGPF) in the Intan Jaya shooting in Papua.

"It was planned, clearly by the KKB (armed criminal group), TPNPB (the West Papua National Liberation Army). It has claimed responsibility for the attack, and we will hunt for them. It is our duty to trace them since they have committed a crime," the minister noted here on Tuesday.

Mahfud admitted to having received information that the team en route to the Hitadipa region in Intan Jaya District, had come across two women, who had attempted to slow down the convoy’s movement. First Sergeant from the military Faisal Akbar had then requested them to step aside.

"Faisal escorted the convoy. Faisal Akbar shouted, 'step aside mam', but she just smiled. Shootings originating from higher ground then ensued," the minister revealed.

After the shooting, Mahfud noted that the women disappeared from the scene, and the team was then attacked from lower ground, allegedly to facilitate the shooters on higher ground to escape.

The shooters are members of the armed criminal group.

"It is clear that they claimed responsibility for it, and it had been planned," the minister stated.

The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) confirmed being behind an attack on members of the government’s TGPF in Mamba Village, Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua, on October 9.

TPNPB spokesperson Rimba Lawingga stated that one of the group’s fighters had opened fire at members of the TGPF, including personnel of the Indonesian Army (TNI).

Gadjah Mada University (UGM) lecturer Bambang Purwoko, concurrently a member of the investigation team, was shot at in the leg, while TNI soldier First Sgt Faisal Akbar of the Hitadipa Task Force sustained injuries to his waist.

The Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs formed the TGPF on Oct 1 for probing the recent shooting that claimed the lives of two military personnel and two civilians.

EDITED BY INE

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Translator: Syaiful Hakim, Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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