Member of Armed Gang Killed in Shootout in Papua

Jayapura, Papua (Antara) - A member of a gang of armed people was killed in a shootout with the military (TNI) in Timika, Papua, on Thursday. The military confiscated an M 16 weapon left by the gang believed to be separatists after the shootout at 6.00 p.m. local time, military source said. Indonesia has yet to deal with separatists hiding in the Papua. Last Saturday a group of armed people grabbed and took away 8 pieces of weapon from a police guard post at Kulirik, in the regency of Puncak Jaya, Papua. Police said the group assisted by a number of local people attacked the guard post where there were only two officers on duty. The officers tried to resist but seeing they were heavily outnumbered, ran away from the back door. (*)