"The shooting in the district's Inbate area, Bikomi Nilulat sub-district, occurred during a conflict between an Indonesian citizen and a Timor-Leste citizen in a disputed border zone," said Commander of the RI–RDTL Border Security Task Force, Lieutenant Colonel Arh Reindi Trisetyo Nugroho.
He said the victim, Paulus Oki, sustained a minor injury from what appeared to be a rubber or blunt-force bullet, not a live round.
Following the incident, members of the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkompimda) in North Central Timor visited the site to investigate. The shooter has not yet been identified.
"We cannot provide further details at this time as the case is still under investigation and witness statements are being collected," Nugroho added, noting that the situation along the border has since stabilized. Residents have been urged to remain cautious.
Just a week earlier, on August 17, another Indonesian, identified as ATB, was shot dead while hunting about 3 kilometers inside Timor-Leste's territory. He had crossed illegally with 19 others, and his body was later found with gunshot wounds. His family refused an autopsy, hampering the investigation.
NTT Police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Henry Novika Chandra said the case is being pursued through diplomatic channels to respect Timor-Leste's jurisdiction. He also warned the public against illegal border crossings, noting the risks to security.
Belu Resort Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner I Gede Putra Astawa confirmed the situation in Belu District remains stable.
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Translator: Kornelis Kaha, Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Editor: Anton Santoso
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