TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Deputy Chief of Information for the XVII/Cenderawasih Military District Command Lt. Col. Infantry Dax Sianturi said that the temporary data on victims of the shooting incident by an armed group in Nduga, Papua, showed that 16 people were found dead.

The data was the result of sweeping and chasing carried out by TNI (Indonesian Military) and National Police joint personnel in Yigi District and Mbua District since Thursday, December 6 at 21:00 local times. “Nine bodies out of 16 dead victims have been evacuated to Timika,” said Dax in a statement.

The sixteen victims were estimated to be workers of PT Istaka Karya. According to Dax, identification and autopsy process on the victims would be conducted in Charitas Timika Hospital after the evacuation.

Shootings against project workers by an armed group in Yigi River and Aurak River, Yigi District, Nduga, occurs on Monday, December 3. The responsible group for this killing is the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) led by Egianus Kogoya, the military wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Dax mentioned 20 people survived from the incident; 7 of them are Istaka Karya employees, one worker of Telkomsel tower, and 12 construction workers. “We continuously verify the data and will update it based on progress,” he added.

KARTIKA ANGGRAENI