Indonesia denies using air strikes in Papua region

13/4/2024 13:24

        Indonesia's military on Saturday denied using air strikes in a remote, restive part of the country, after a video of a New Zealand pilot kidnapped by Papuan rebels featured him saying military actions had made his position unsafe.
        
        An armed faction of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), led by Egianus Kogoya, kidnapped the pilot, Phillip Mehrtens, on Feb. 7, 2023 after he landed a small commercial plane in the remote, mountainous area of Nduga.
        
        Nugraha Gumilar, the spokesperson for Indonesia's military, said the rebel group is "always reporting hoax news", after the rebels claimed the military had been dropping bombs onto civilian areas.
        
        Indonesia's military is still trying to save the New Zealand pilot, Gumilar added.
        
        In a video released by TPNPB this week, Mehrtens, who is surrounded by the armed Papua rebels and wearing a dark brown t-shirt and boots, said he is "not safe" following the claimed air strikes.