Indonesia searches for gunmen in eastern Papua province

Soldiers and police of Indonesia are tracing a group of gunmen which recently killed one police officer and kidnapped over 1,000 people in Indonesia's eastern Papua province (Photo: Reuters)

Hanoi (VNA) – Soldiers and police of Indonesia are tracing a group of gunmen which recently killed one police officer and kidnapped over 1,000 people in Indonesia’s eastern Papua province, said Tito Karnavian, Indonesian National Police Chief.

Speaking at the police headquarters in the capital city of Jakarta on November 9, Karnavian said the gunmen attacked many on-duty police officers at a subsidiary of the US mining firm Freeport McMorant in Tembagapura village of Papua province. They captured more than 1,000 gold miners and kept them as “human shield”.

Meanwhile, Papua police chief Boy Rafly Amar said the group has about 100 members.

Papua province is viewed as a field of action of the Free Papua Movement separatist group. Their attacks mainly target soldiers, police officers and workers of the Freeport McMorant, claiming dozens lives.-VNA