'€œFirst Pvt. Abraham, from 751 infantry battalion, was on duty for the Ilaga district inauguration in Puncak regency and as he fetched some logistical material from the market, members of an armed civilian group started shooting. A bullet hit him directly in the head and he died at the scene,'€ Cenderawasih Military Command chief spokesman Let. Col. Rikas Hidayatullah told the media in Jayapura on Thursday.

After the shooting, the group fled into the forest. Rikas said TNI soldiers immediately pursued the armed group while others evacuated the victim'€™s body to the Ilaga community health clinic.

'€œThe manhunt is still ongoing as of now,'€ said Rikas.

Cenderawasih Military Command chief Maj. Gen. Christian Zebua urged soldiers in the Ilaga region to act professionally and prevent public unrest as they pursued the perpetrators.

Rikas said the command chief had expressed his deep condolences to the family of the soldier, who died in the line of duty.

Another shooting by armed civilian groups also took place in July this year in Pirime, Lanny Jaya regency, Papua. Then, two members of the Pirime Police precinct were shot and killed.

Popular

Palm oil expansion in Papua raises eyebrow

Pro-government parties open to scrapping direct regional elections

Democracy’s slippery slope