Army feud leaves soldier injured

ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: A soldier was savaged by members of a rival military group in a dispute over gambling dealings in East Nusa Tenggara.

Five members of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) battalion in Atambua attacked Chief Sgt. Stefanus Laku Mali from the Belu Military Subdistrict (Kodim) on Thursday afternoon.

Stefanus was badly beaten, suffering a ripped ear during the attack.

He had identified two of his assailants, saying they were from the Builalu border post in Lamaknen district.

Belu Kodim chief Let. Col. Tjuk Agus Minahasa said on Friday that he regretted the action's of the military personnel.

"They cannot take the law into their own hands. Any errant soldiers should be punished through the appropriate legal process," he said, adding he had coordinated with relevant local Army heads.

The Kostrad soldiers attacked Stefanus at a gambling den after hearing he and Builalu village chief Albertus Bere Bau were paid Rp 150,000 by a local gambling figure. --Antara