There is a report that Bingki villagers have sought refuge in Dekai since Thursday (June 24, 2021) via land and river.Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Residents of Bingki village, Yahukimo district, Papua have sought refuge in Dekai subdistrict following an attack by a separatist group, which left four people dead and the village head injured.
"There is a report that Bingki villagers have sought refuge in Dekai since Thursday (June 24, 2021) via land and river," chief of the Sub-regional Military Command 172/PWY, Brig.Gen Izak Pangemanan, said here on Friday.
The village is now empty, he said, without divulging the number of refugees.
According to Pangemanan, villagers are afraid of another attack by the armed group.
The head of the village, Obaja Nang, was injured in the attack. Meanwhile, the separatists fatally shot four construction workers engaged in constructing a bridge over the Kali Wit River in Yahukimo district.
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The armed group also attacked and shot at a PT Papua Crenoma truck carrying building material.
Nang was initially believed to be dead, but later it was discovered that he was in a critical condition and had been evacuated by villagers to Dekai, Pangemanan informed.
The military has evacuated the bodies of the four construction workers by helicopter to Dekai for an autopsy.
The four workers have been identified as Suardi, Sudarto, Idin, and Ipa, Pangemanan said.
In early December, 2018, an armed Papuan group killed 31 construction workers engaged in building the Kali Yigi-Kali Aurak bridge in Nduga district.
On June 3, 2021, a construction worker was murdered in Eronggobak, Ilaga, Puncak, Papua.(INE)
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Evarukdijati, Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
