Indonesian military officials have found the body of a US pilot shot dead by rebels in the restive eastern province of Papua, the Indonesian military said on Monday, after a separatist group said the attack was a “message” for the governments of the United States and Indonesia, BTA reported.
A battle for independence from Indonesia has long raged in the resource-rich western half of Papua, where attacks by independence fighters have become increasingly deadly and frequent as they acquire better weapons.
Sebi Sambom, a spokesman for the armed separatist group the National Liberation Army of West Papua (NLA), said yesterday that its soldiers shot dead American pilot Nicholas F. Goslin and set his plane on fire after it landed in the Yahukimo area.
He said the plane "often transported Indonesian military personnel and violated the ultimatum" group and threatened more attacks if Indonesia continued to allow civilian aircraft into the rebel-held red zones of Papua.
The attack was a message to the US and Indonesian governments about their "failure to address the root causes of the conflict in Papua between the Indonesian military and the West Papua National Liberation Army," Sebi said.
Indonesian army spokesman Wirya Artadiguna in Papua confirmed on Monday that the separatist group had carried out the attack and said the body of the American pilot had been found and evacuated.
The army was searching for the attackers, he said, adding that the passengers on the flight were also being sought.
Authorities had earlier said there were seven passengers on board, all Papuans.
The plane was owned by an Indonesian airline "PT AMA" (PT AMA), whose vehicles are used to deliver food, fuel and mail to remote villages in Papua.