The bullet hit his head
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - An armed Papuan separatist terrorist operating in Sinak Sub-district, Puncak District, Papua Tengah Province, killed an employee of regional development lender Bank Pembangunan Daerah (BPD) Papua on Tuesday.

Demian Yumame's body was moved to Timika, the capital of Mimika District, in Papua Tengah Province, to be then flown to Sorong City for burial, Commander of the 173/PVB Resort Military Command Brig. Gen. Sri Widodo stated.

He told ANTARA that Yumame was shot dead at close range while he was at the Sinak market area.


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"The bullet hit his head," according to Widodo, whose administrative areas include the districts of Biak, Supiori, Waropen, and Kepulauan Yapen in Papua Province as well as the districts of Nabire, Deiyai, Dogiyai, Paniai, Intan Jaya, Puncak, and Puncak Jaya in Papua Tengah Province.

Security personnel are still hunting down the attacker, Widodo noted.

Papua has borne witness to a unceasing cycle of violence over the past few years, with armed groups in the districts of Intan Jaya, Nduga, and Puncak targeting civilians and security personnel.

Intan Jaya recorded its bloodiest month in September 2020 when armed groups launched a series of attacks in the area that claimed the lives of two soldiers and two civilians and left two others injured.

On September 17, 2020, for instance, Papuan rebels tortured and killed a 49-year-old Ojek motorcycle taxi driver, identified as Badawi.


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On September 13, 2020, armed separatists opened fire at two Ojek drivers in Sugapa area, but the drivers managed to survive the attack.

The acts of terror have continued this year.

On December 5, 2022, members of an armed Papuan group operating in Pegunungan Bintang District, Papua Pegunungan Province, shot dead three ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers.

The slain civilians were identified as La Usu (23), La Ati (40), and La Aman (39). They were all ojek drivers, according to Commander of the 172/PWY Military Resort Command Brig. Gen. J. O. Sembiring.

Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen. Mathius Fakhiri urged residents in the remote Pegunungan Tengah area to remain alert for attacks launched by Papuan separatist terrorists.


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Translator: Evarukdijati, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2022