JAKARTA, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Four soldiers of the Indonesian Military (TNI) were killed by armed militants believed to be members of the West Papua Liberation Army, a military wing of the outlawed Free Papua Organization (OPM), in a village in West Papua province during early hours on Thursday.
As many as 50 armed militants ambushed a military post and attacked six soldiers with arrows, machetes, and axes on early Thursday, the West Papua regional military command's spokesperson Hendra Pesireron said.
As a result, four army soldiers were killed and two others were heavily wounded.
In response, the province's regional military command immediately sent two platoons of soldiers to chase the culprits and also coordinated with the West Papua police in dealing with the matter.
Meanwhile, spokesperson for the West Papua Liberation Army Sebby Sambom confirmed that the group claimed responsibility for the attack.
"Our militants under the orders of the West Papua Liberation Army supreme commander Goliath Tabuni are responsible for this morning's attack," said Sambom in a statement on Thursday.
Sambom also asked for the government's willingness to negotiate with the Free Papua Organization.
"The war will not stop. It will continue in Papua as long as Indonesia is still occupying the land (Papua)," he continued.
On Wednesday, the local police also arrested four suspected OPM members. They were accused of being involved in the murders of two construction workers in Yahukimo district in Papua province.
Back in April this year, the government announced that all armed militants in the Papua region are categorized as terrorists, after a string of clashes between the two sides killed the region's intelligence chief, a police officer and nine guerrilla fighters. Enditem
