At least five Indonesian soldiers injured in terrorist attacks

At least four personnel of the Indonesian Military (TNI) were wounded after armed Papuan separatist terrorists intercepted them on Tuesday evening at a village in Papua province, a military official confirmed Wednesday.

“It is true that an incident occurred in Pegunungan Bintang district that injured four TNI personnel who are part of the joint security task force in a vulnerable area,” Lieutenant Colonel Christian Ireuw, who is the chief of the 1715 Yahukimo District Military Command, told Antara, a state news agency.

The injured soldiers have been evacuated to the capital of Papua, Jayapura, for medical treatments.

In addition, early on Tuesday in a village in Puncak district, a member of a joint security task force was also wounded during a firefight with the armed separatist terrorist group.

Papua Police Chief Fakhiri said the soldier had been sent to a nearby hospital.

The Indonesian police and military have frequently been engaged in conflicts with the separatists in Papua, leaving casualties from both sides.

The separatist Free Papua Movement based in the province has been seeking an independent state through guerrilla wars since decades ago, targeting military and police personnel as well as civilians.

Source: Xinhua Net