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Armed group set kiosks on fire in Papua
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Five kiosks owned by local people in Kampung Utikini, Mimika, Papua, were set ablaze by an armed group at 2 a.m. on Sunday. There were no casualties in the incident. (Courtesy of Papua Police/file)
C
ivilians were reportedly on the receiving end of attacks by armed assailants who set kiosks on fire following attacks against security personnel around a mining area operated by PT Freeport Indonesia in Tembagapura, Mimika regency, Papua.
“Five kiosks owned by local people in Kampung Utikini were set ablaze by an armed group at 2 a.m. on Sunday,” Mimika Police chief Adj. Sr. Cmr. Victor D Mackbon told journalists on Sunday.
There were no casualties as the owners had not been in theirs kiosks at that time, he added.
The arsons occurred just some 100 meters from the Tembagapura Police dormitory. The owners had left the scene on Oct. 24 following shots fired at an ambulance carrying a patient, a doctor and nurses from Utikini to Tembagapura Hospital, Victor said.
He added that, before the kiosks were set ablaze, an unidentified gunman had been seen crossing the street to the location, and not long after that the fire started.
A fire exchange reportedly took place between the assailants and members of the Police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) during the blaze.
Read also: Govt seeks to ensure security in Papua
Papua Police spokesman Sr. Cmr. AM Kamal said armed people had also opened fire on vehicles belonging to PT Freeport in the area between Mile 69 and Ridge Camp, hitting a windshield and a door. Only bulletproof vehicles pass the route after the incident.
A Brimob officer died in an exchange of fire with armed assailants, also in Utikini, in late October, amid escalated attacks in the mining area. (rin)
