"According to the reports we received, nine members of the armed group got killed in the gunfight," Nemangkawi Task Force spokesperson Sen. Coms. Iqbal Al Qupdusy remarked.
The task force personnel had yet to identify the dead separatist terrorists but they belong to the Lekagak Telenggen armed group operating in the Ilaga area, he noted.
The Papua police headquarters has placed Lekagak Telenggen on the list of most wanted fugitives since August 28, 2020, following his involvement in a shooting incident at Mile 61 in Tembagapura Sub-district, Mimika District, Papua.
Al Qupdusy reiterated that the task force personnel had killed nine rebels in the shootout by referring to the number of rifles found in the battle ground.
"Everything will later be clarified after the armed group's hideout is fully under control," he remarked, adding that the security personnel continue to chase the armed separatist terrorists.
During the shootout, a Mobile Brigade member, who joined the Nemangkawi Task Force, died on duty, while two others survived with gunshot wounds.
Over these past four months, Papua has borne the brunt of a string of violent attacks by armed groups targeting civilians in districts, including Puncak and Intan Jaya.
The armed groups often employ hit-and-run tactics against Indonesian security personnel while unleashing acts of terror against civilians to trigger fear among the people.
Ojek drivers, teachers, students, and street food vendors, among others, have fallen victims to their terror acts. They also attacked civilian aircraft.
On April 8, several armed Papuan rebels reportedly opened fire at a kiosk in Julukoma Village, Beoga Sub-district, Puncak District, at about 9:30 a.m. local time.
The shooting resulted in the death of a Beoga public elementary school teacher, Oktovianus Rayo.
After killing Rayo, the armed attackers torched three classrooms at the Beoga public senior high school.
On April 9, armed rebels reportedly shot another teacher, Yonatan Randen, on the chest.
Several villagers tried to save the junior high school teacher and rushed him to the Beoga public health center, but he succumbed to his injuries.
The armed separatist terrorists operating in Beoga Sub-district continued with their spate of killings by torching nine classrooms at the Beoga public junior high school on April 11.
Four days after burning the school building down, they killed Ali Mom, a student of the Ilaga public senior high school in Beoga Sub-district.
On April 25, they also shot Head of Indonesia's National Intelligence Agency (BIN)-Papua Office Maj. Gen. I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha in Dambet Village, Beoga Sub-district. Related news: Five dead after joint military-police team raids armed criminals' HQ
Related news: Fallen Brimob officer's coffin airlifted from Papua to Palembang
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Evarukdijati, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
