On July 2 local time, the Indonesian separatist armed group The People’s Revolutionary Army of West Papua (TPNPB) announced that they had shot and killed an American pilot, and set fire to his aircraft. According to Reuters, a Indonesian military spokesman confirmed on the 3rd that the separatist armed group carried out the attack, and the military has found and brought back the remains of the American pilot.
TPNPB spokesman Sebi Sangbem issued a statement on the 2nd, stating that the organization killed the American pilot Nicholas Gosselin who landed in Highland Papua Province and burned down the aircraft he was flying in. Sangbem claimed that these aircraft ‘frequently targeted Indonesian troops’, violating the ‘ultimatum’ issued by TPNPB. The attack was seen as a warning to both Indonesia and the United States.
Sambam said that due to civilian aircraft being used to 'support Indonesian military operations', the TPNPB has banned all aircraft from entering its controlled area. 'We are ready to fire at any civilian aircraft that assists the Indonesian army in transporting troops or logistical supplies.'
Sambamurti accused Indonesia and the United States of 'failing to address the root causes of the conflict', and called on the Indonesian government to initiate negotiations to resolve the conflict.
The TPNPB organization released photos of the aircraft wreckage on July 2. Reuters
TPNPB is an armed organization active in the western region of New Guinea. It is a branch of the separatist organization 'Free Papua Movement' and has been classified as a 'terrorist organization' by the Indonesian government.
Indonesian military spokesman Vieria Artadugina confirmed on the 3rd that separatist armed groups carried out the attack, and the military has already found and brought back the remains of the American pilot. She said that the Indonesian military is continuing to hunt down the attackers and searching for other passengers on the plane.
Indonesian officials previously revealed that the plane piloted by Gosselin had a total of 7 passengers, all of whom were from Papua.
This aircraft is operated by Indonesian airline PT AMA, which is responsible for delivering food, fuel, and mail to remote villages in Papua. As of now, PT AMA has not responded to this incident, nor has the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia responded to requests from Reuters and other foreign media for comments.
