Indonesia names six armed terrorist groups in Papua

Indonesian police have determined six armed separatist terrorist groups actively operating in Papua province’s mountainous areas, as military and police personnel intensify law enforcement operations against them.

Police Chief Insp. Gen. Mathius D. Fakhiri in Papua, Indonesia

Antara news agency quoted Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen. Mathius Fakhiri as saying that the active armed groups operate in the sub-districts of Ilaga and Beoga in Puncak district; Sugapa sub-district in Intan Jaya district; and Nduga district.

These notorious armed separatist terrorists are led by figures placed on the Papua police's wanted list, he said.

Army and police personnel had managed to restore law and order in Beoga sub-district after two teachers were killed on April 8 and 9.

A joint team of army and police personnel was additionally dispatched to Ilaga sub-district to stop the armed groups' frequent security disturbances in the administrative areas of this capital city of Puncak district, he stated.

Fakhiri said the reinforcement of security personnel in Papua's mountainous areas is expected to help the Papua police soon arrest the masterminds behind the incidents of armed violence that had claimed the lives of several unarmed and innocent civilians.

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said 417 people are named in the country’s terrorist list, adding that the data could continue to grow. 

In addition, 99 organisations in Indonesia are listed as terrorist groups, according to data obtained from a court decision dated April 14.

The minister said that the determination of Armed Criminal Groups (KKB) as a terrorist was not only a desire of the government, but also has a fairly strong legal basis, namely Law Number 5 of 2018 concerning terrorism./.

VNA