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n unidentified armed group shot dead a civilian in Mulia district, Puncak Jaya regency on Friday at 8 p.m. local time, the first indiscriminate shooting to take place in Papua this year. The reason behind the shooting is unknown.

Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Wachyono said in Jayapura on Saturday that the victim, identified as Kisma Rafiq from Padang, West Sumatra, was alone at his stall when a group of three people approached him as if they wanted to buy something.

The victim greeted the three people, but suddenly three shots were heard, Wachyono said.

“The victim died at the scene. He sustained severe injuries to the right part of his neck and left nose,” he said.

Puncak Jaya Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Alex Korwa said earlier on Saturday that the police received reports from locals who heard gunfire, but were not able to reach the scene until 11 p.m. due to bad weather.

The victim’s body was rushed to Mulia City Hospital and was flown by Suzi Air to Sentani Airport in Jayapura on Saturday at 1 p.m. before being sent to his hometown in West Sumatra.

This is the latest violent shooting incident to take place in Indonesia’s easternmost province.

According to police data, Friday’s shooting raised the number of people killed by indiscriminate shootings by armed groups in Mulia to seven since July last year. Thus far, no one has been apprehended.

The string of violent incidencts started with the killing of First Pvt. Yahya Kafiar, who was shot dead by unknown assailants when he was delivering logistics to the area on July 21, 2011.

Several days later, on Aug. 2, 2011, First Pvt. Fana Suhandi was killed in an exchange of gunfire with an armed group of civilians in Tingginambut. This was followed by the killing of Mulia Police chief Adj. Comr. Otto Awes who was shot after his rifle was confiscated at Mulia airport.

Two Mobile Brigade (Brimob) members from Kelapa Dua in Jakarta — Second Brig. Feriyanto Kaluku and Second Brig. Eko Afriansyah – were shot dead by another armed group on Dec. 3, 2011.

On Dec. 18, 2011, Abdul Kholik, a motorcycle taxi driver, was shot dead by an armed group in Mulia.

Tendiron Wonda, believed to be a member of an armed civilian group, was shot dead at his hiding place by a member of Brimob on Nov. 23, 2011.