Sebby Sambom, spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), an armed separatist group in Indonesia's Papua region, announced that its forces shot dead U.S. pilot Nicholas Gosselin on 2/7. They then set fire to his plane after it landed in the Yahukimo area of Papua Highlands province.

The aircraft belonged to PT AMA airline, which transports food, fuel, and mail to remote villages in Papua.

However, Sebby accused the aircraft of "regularly dropping Indonesian military personnel and violating TPNPB's ultimatum". He added that the attack was a message to the Indonesian and U.S. governments for "failing to address the root causes of the conflict in Papua between the Indonesian military and TPNPB".

Sebby declared that the rebels would launch attacks if Jakarta continued to allow civilian aircraft into "red zones" controlled by separatists in Papua.

The wreckage of the plane flown by the U.S. pilot, burned on 2/7. *Reuters*

Yusuf Sutejo, spokesperson for the joint Indonesian police and military forces, confirmed that a plane flown by a U.S. pilot and carrying 7 passengers was found burned at a local airport in Yahukimo. All passengers were Papuan.

According to the Indonesian Ministry of Transport, the aircraft traveled to Yahukimo from Wamena city in Papua Highlands province. Communication was disrupted after the plane landed. The ministry cited a preliminary report from Wamena airport management confirming pilot Gosselin's death.

The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta has not yet commented on the information.

Clashes between armed separatist forces and government troops began in Papua after the region's incorporation into Indonesia. This followed a referendum held under United Nations supervision in 1969.

Papuan activists criticized the vote and demanded another referendum. The Indonesian government, however, asserts that the United Nations supports Jakarta's sovereignty over the region.

Papua's location. *DW*

Violence in Papua has escalated since 2018. Separatist forces have launched more frequent and dangerous attacks, reportedly due to their acquisition of modern weapons. Indonesian security forces report that armed groups have killed soldiers and police in several clashes.

Rebels in Papua previously kidnapped New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens. He was abducted after landing a small commercial plane in a remote mountainous area in Nduga, Papua Highlands. He was later released in 2024.

Pham Giang (Source: Reuters, Guardian, Anadolu)