Military send more reinforcement troops to Ilaga<\/p>\n
Antara, Jayapura, Irian Jaya<\/p>\n
A small group of soldiers reached the district of Ilaga east
\nof Puncak Jaya regency in Irian Jaya on Monday as part of a
\nlarger outfit of reinforcements being dispatched to the area to
\nassist local forces quell disturbances instigated by a rebel
\ngroup.<\/p>\n
The district capital was devastated last weekend after the
\nFree Papua Organization's National Liberation Front (TPN) burned
\ndown many buildings, forcing local people to seek refuge in the
\nIlaga subdistrict military command.<\/p>\n
Lt. Col. Djamaludin, military district commander of Timika,
\nsaid in Jayapura on Monday that two helicopters carrying soldiers
\nhad managed to land on a makeshift helipad and more personnel
\nwould follow, depending on weather conditions.<\/p>\n
Irian Jaya's regional military command had earlier planned to
\ndispatch up to 30 more troops to assist the existing 26 police
\nand military officers now operating in the Ilaga military
\ndistrict command.<\/p>\n
The additional unit already dispatched came from the 753
\nInfantry Battalion, while more security officers from the
\npolice's mobile brigade are awaiting departure.<\/p>\n
The colonel said that, with the reinforcements, the local
\njoint forces were expected to be capable of reclaiming the Ilaga
\nairport, currently occupied by TPN separatists, and restore peace
\nand order throughout the entire city.<\/p>\n
Asked if any armed conflicts had occurred since last week's
\nseparatist attack on Ilaga, Djamaludin said both sides had not
\nyet exchanged fire and no assault was made when the helicopters
\nlanded.<\/p>\n
TPN members attacked military and police stations in Ilaga on
\nFriday, setting fire to various public facilities such as
\nmarkets, mosques, banks and the local post office.<\/p>\n
The rebel force, led by Titus Morib, has a core group of about
\n500 members armed with weapons seized from security installations
\nin the district.<\/p>\n
With about 5,000 followers, including locals supporting the
\nmovement, TPN has established its stronghold in the village of
\nGomay, near Iapter district.<\/p>\n
Two other assaults had preceded Friday's offensive, all of
\nwhich have resulted in the deaths of two separatists and injured
\none separatist and two soldiers.<\/p>\n
The deployment of additional security personnel to the
\ndistrict, though already accelerated by the temporary landing
\nstrip, still faces the constraint of weather conditions.<\/p>\n
Military circles suspect that TPN disturbances have arisen due
\nto the separatists' disappointment with the Belgian ambassador's
\nfailure to facilitate talks about the status of Papua, as
\npromised earlier.<\/p>\n
The Belgian ambassador to Indonesia agreed to act as
\nfacilitator in negotiations with the Indonesian government as a
\nprecondition for the Aug. 1 release of two Belgian citizens held
\nby Papuan rebels for a month in Puncak Jaya.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-send-more-reinforcement-troops-to-ilaga-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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