Indonesia: Militant attack in Puncak Regency of Papua Province March 2 results in casualties

Event

Militants affiliated with armed criminal groups (KKB) attacked PT Palapa Timur Telematics (PTT) workers in Beoga District in Puncak Regency, Papua Province, March 2. The workers had been working on a PTT telecommunications tower when the attack occurred; the militants killed eight people in the attack. The motive for the attack is unclear.

Context

Authorities continue to maintain security operations in the region after declaring armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua as terrorist organizations in April 2021. Armed organizations typically target Indonesian soldiers and police officers and workers and facilities of foreign-owned resource extraction companies, specifically PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), whose operations are centered on Mimika Regency. The incidents point to the continued tension between Indonesian authorities and people in Papua, who claim that the Indonesian central government racially discriminates against Papuans and that it does not sufficiently develop the provinces' infrastructure.