The Free Papua Movement (OPM) has said that it is waiting for instructions to strike back after claiming that three of its fighters were injured in an armed clash with the police on Tuesday.
“There were victims from our side. We are still waiting for an order to fight back against Indonesian officers,” an OPM spokesman, Leo Yeimo, said on Wednesday, as quoted by tempo.co.
He said that the three OPM members injured in the shooting with the police were: 15 year-old Paskalis Kudiai, who was shot in the head, 21 year-old Yohan Yogi, who was shot in the foot, and 20 year-old Mon Yogi, who was shot in the back.
The police earlier revealed that one Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officer was shot and injured in the shooting that took place in Paniai, not far from Timika, Papua, at 10:30 a.m. local time.
Tensions between the police and OPM in Paniai have been mounting since Nov. 30 when the separatist group burned down a district office and damaged seven bridges in the area. Armed conflict between the two groups has caused hundreds of Paniai residents to evacuate the area. (awd)