Burning Stone Event In Puncak Regency Disturbed By Armed Groups, Shooting From Afar

Commander of Korem 173/PVB, Brigadier General TNI Iwan Setiawan/ Antara

JAKARTA - Armed groups, at around 13.30 WIT Thursday, July 8, disrupted a stone-burning event in Ilaga, Puncak Regency, Papua, by shooting at participants from a distance.

The commander of Korem 173/PVB, Brigadier General TNI Iwan Setiawan, admitted that there was a gunfight in Ilaga that was initiated by armed group disturbances during a stone-burning ceremony attended by the regent, Kodim commander, the head of the Resort Police as well as officials and residents in the area.

The disturbance was then responded by members of the TNI-Polri who were indeed on standby and there were no casualties.

"The stone-burning event itself was carried out as a form of gratitude for the recovery in security conditions in the area," said Setiawan when contacted from Jayapura as reported by Antara, Thursday, July 8.

From the reports received, members of the TNI-Polri chased them and searched the location.

However, he could not confirm which group interfered with the stone burning event.

"There is a possibility that the disturbance is the Lekagak Telenggen group or the Teri Mayu group which is around the estuary," he said.