Five Brimob officers killed in Manokwari

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Five on-duty officers of the Indonesian Police Mobile Brigade were killed in a pre-dawn attack by an unidentified group of people in the village of Wondiwoi, located in the Wasiur district of Manokwari regency, on Wednesday.

Irian Jaya Police chief Insp. Gen. Made Mangku Pastika confirmed the accident, condemning the inhumane attack.

"It was an uncivilized action, and we vow to pursue the attackers," Pastika said, adding that the armed attackers also seized firearms from the officers.

The attack took place at 2:30 a.m. local time.

Adj. Comr. Zulkifli AR, head of the provincial police information office, said that the five slain officers were First Brig. Ibrahim, First Brig. L. Pakpahan, First Brig. Baspur, Second Brig. Firmansyah H, and Second Brig. Taufik Hidayat. "All died from gunshot wounds."

"A local was also shot dead in the attack, but he has yet to be identified," said Zulkifli.

Both Pastika and Zulkifli said they had yet to identify the guns used by the assailants, whom they identified as members of a separatist group.

Wondiwoi village is in a coastal area. It takes a day and a night to reach it by sea from Jayapura.

Zulkifli said that the police had increased the deployment of personnel in Manokwari, in order to pursue the attackers. (34/sur)