T

he Papua police along with their military counterparts are jointly investigating the cause of a young girl'€™s death in Tiom district recently. The girl, identified as Arlince Tabuni, 12, was reportedly the innocent victim of an armed standoff.

"This joint team has already been deployed to Tiom," Papua Police chief spokesman Sr. Comr. I Gede Sumerta Jaya said in Jayapura, Papua, on Wednesday.

"Based on information circulating in the region, she died as a result of agunshot," he added.

According to Gede, onMonday evening, a group of soldiers exchanged fire with alleged Papuan separatists led by Purom Wenda near Popomevillage, Tiom. Immediately afterward, local residents
reported that the victim had been rushed to the nearest hospital.

The Purom Wenda group is being pursued by the authorities because they have been held responsible for a series of attacks on both military and civil facilities since last year.(fan/dic)