10 civilians killed, 2 wounded in attacks by separatist group in Indonesia’s Papua

Jakarta, Jul 16 (IANS): A separatist group on Saturday attacked civilians in Nduga district of Indonesia’s eastern Papua province, killing 10 people and seriously injuring two others, a police spokesperson said.

The group, which the Indonesian government calls “a criminal armed group (KKB),” separately launched attacks at four sites in the district, provincial police spokesperson Ahmad Mustafa Kamal said.

One of the attacks was an ambush of a truck carrying civilians, conducted by 20 members of the group armed with three long rifle guns and one pistol, Xinhua news agency reported quoting Kamal.

“When the truck was stopping, it was shot (several times) from a distance of 50 meters,” the spokesperson told Xinhua via phone.

According to him, bodies were recovered and injured persons found at the ambush spot and three other sites of the attacks.

“Totalally, 10 people were killed, and two others suffered from injuries. They all are civilians,” he said.