Indonesia: Armed criminal group members opened fire at plane at Bilorai Airport, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua, March 7

Event

Armed criminal group members (Kelompok Kriminal Bersenjata, KKB) shot at a cargo plane at Bilorai Airport (UGU), Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Province, March 7. The shooting occurred at around 07:55 while the plane was unloading its cargo. There were no reports of casualties. Officials diverted another flight that was supposed to land at the airport at 08:15 the same day as a result of the incident. Authorities have stated that they will suspend flight operations at the airport if the security situation deteriorates.

UGU is approximately 90 km (56 miles) north-northeast of Timika.

Advice

The KKB has been designated a terrorist organization by the Indonesian government. The organization typically targets Indonesian soldiers and police officers, as well as workers and infrastructure of state-owned public facilities and foreign-owned resource extraction companies, specifically PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI). The incident highlights the threat posed by armed groups in the region and points 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.