Eighteen separatists killed in Papua region, Indonesian military says

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JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesia’s military has killed 18 Papuan separatists during an operation in its easternmost region of Papua, an official said on Thursday, and three civilians also died. 

The military seized dozens of munitions, including an assault rifle, bows and arrows and an unspecified homemade weapon during Wednesday’s operation, military spokesperson Kristomei Sianturi said in a statement.

It said the Indonesian military sustained no casualties. 

A spokesperson for the Papua separatists Sebby Sambom said three of their members had died.

Three civilians were killed during the shootout between rebels and soldiers, a prominent church group with a chapter in Papua said, citing local church reports. Nearly 1,000 people have been evacuated.

Ronald Rischard, the head of the group’s Papua chapter, told reporters the attack came as villagers were asleep, urging the country’s rights body to independently investigate the incident.

“This has become a cycle of violence,” he said, condemning collateral damage on civilians as a child’s ear was razed by a bullet although he said it is unclear who fired the shots.

Rebels have fought a low-level campaign for independence in the resource-rich Papua region bordering Papua New Guinea ever since the area was controversially brought under Indonesian control following Dutch rule in a vote overseen by the United Nations in 1969. 

The rebels have taken foreigners hostage, including a group of 26 wildlife researchers in 1996 and a New Zealand pilot who was released last year after being held for 19 months.  

Last month, the rebels said they had killed more than 17 people, saying they were soldiers disguised as gold miners. 

The Indonesian military has deployed personnel in the area of Wednesday’s operation to anticipate movements from the remaining rebels, the statement said.

(Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by Martin Petty and Ed Osmond)