Indonesian intelligence commander killed in Papua

SANAA, April 26 (YPA) – An Indonesian  brigadier general has been killed in ongoing clashes between security forces and a rebel group in restive eastern Province of Papua, authorities said Monday.

The clashes began on April 8th in Indonesia’s far eastern province of Papua after rebels set fire to three schools and killed a teacher in in Beoga village in Puncak district.

Police, military and intelligence forces joined Operation Nemankawi to find the attackers, who authorities believe belong to the West Papua Liberation Army, the military wing of Free Papua Organization

Papua’s intelligence agency chief Brig. Gen. Gusti Putu Danny Nugraha was shot in his head and died in a rebel ambush, said Col. Iqbal Alqudusy, the Operation Nemangkawi’s spokesperson.

He said security forces managed to evacuate the body on Monday morning while a joint military and police force was hunting “an armed separatist criminal group.”

E.M