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Papua separatist group in Indonesia claims killing a US pilot
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- The West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB) claimed responsibility for shooting dead American pilot Nicholas F. Goselin and setting fire to an Indonesian-operated aircraft in Papua's Balinggama village, alleging the plane was transporting Indonesian troops.
- Indonesian authorities denied the plane was used for military transport, stating it carried seven indigenous Papuan civilians who were unharmed; efforts to reach the crash site have been hindered by poor weather and difficult terrain.
- The TPNPB accused civilian flights in their zones of aiding Indonesian military operations and warned of targeting such aircraft, calling for international negotiations to resolve the long-standing conflict in Papua.
- The Papua conflict, ongoing for over six decades, involves Indigenous Papuans seeking independence and has seen increased violence recently, including attacks on foreign pilots working for Indonesian aviation companies.
- The separatist group criticized the failure of Indonesian, U.S., Dutch governments, and the United Nations to address the conflict's root causes and urged UN-facilitated talks involving all parties.
