Indonesia: One killed, six injured in shooting near copper mine hinh anh 1Grasburg mine in Papua province, Indonesia (Photo: AFP/VNA)
 
Hanoi (VNA) – One person was killed and six police officers wounded in a shooting near the Grasberg copper and gold mine in Papua province in eastern Indonesia on October 23.

According to local police, carried out by a separatist group, the attack aimed to disrupt mining operations of Freeport McMoran Inc., which runs the Grasberg mine. The group, with up to 30 members led by a man named Sabinus Waker, also launched attacks in the mine areas previously, local police said.

Spokesperson of Freeport said recent attacks have no impact on output from Grasburg, the world’s second largest copper mine.

Papua, located in the westernmost of New Guinea island, is rich in natural resources. Separatist groups have caused major security concerns in the province since the 1960s.

Attacks launched in the mining areas between 2009 and 2015 claimed 20 lives and injured 59 people. To protect workers and infrastructure, Freeport contributed 21 million USD to government security forces in 2015.

Freeport has been grappling with labour problems at Grasberg and a prolonged dispute with Indonesia over rights to the giant mine that has cost both sides hundreds of millions of dollar.-VNA
VNA