P

olice in Puncak Jaya regency are intensifying efforts to hunt down gunmen blamed for a spate of recent attacks there.

The police have disseminated a list of wanted people suspected of possessing firearms.

However, it remains unclear whether the gunmen are members of the separatist Independent Papua Organization (OPM).

"We only suspect that the people involved in several shooting incidents last month are members of the OPM, but we are not sure about it yet," said Puncak Jaya Police chief B. Chris Rihulay.

He added that in February, there had been four shooting incidents across the regency, none of which had claimed any lives.

"The first attack took place on Feb. 8 and targeted a police post. The wife of a police officer was injured in the incident," he said.

Chris said the second incident broke out on Feb. 15, when two antiterror officers were mapping areas around Tingginambut.

They were shot at by two gunmen, who missed. The officers then returned fire, Chris said.

One of the gunmen was shot in the exchange.

"When our antiterror officers and the Mobile Brigade searched the area, they found a honai *traditional house* full of OPM symbols and axes, as well as other weapons," he said.

"So the officers burned down the building."

The third shooting incident, he went on, took place last week when police officers in Tingginambut were hoisting the Indonesian flag.

They were attacked by a group of people who then lowered the flag and set it on fire.

The latest attack came last Friday when gunmen fired shots at a moving car in Tingginambut, injuring a trader on board the vehicle.

"The L-200 car was carrying five passengers, including the trader identified as Anwar," Chris said.

He added it was likely the shots were aimed at a policeman who was also on the car, but because the gunmen were not very good marksmen, they missed their target.