New Zealand pilot killed by rebels in Papua

The renewed outbreak of violence in the Indonesian region of Papua had tragic consequences on Monday: A New Zealand pilot, Glen Conning, was killed by armed fighters. Indonesian authorities hold the West Papua Liberation Army, an armed independence group, responsible for the incident. This region, at the easternmost edge of the country, has been the scene of increasing conflicts in recent years between separatists and state security forces, with casualties among foreigners being rare. The West Papua Liberation Army has pursued its independence goals for decades, occasionally resorting to the kidnapping of foreigners to attract international attention and gain bargaining power. However, the targeted killing of foreigners is an exception. The rebels accused of Conning's murder directly denied their involvement and stated that it remains unclear whether their fighters were involved in the incident. Conning, 50 years old, worked for an Indonesian company and was transporting civilians in a helicopter to the remote village of Alama. There, he was captured, killed, and his helicopter was set on fire by the attackers, according to Police General Faizal Ramadhani. The passengers—four adults, one child, and one baby—remained unharmed as they were local residents, the General said. Just last year, another faction of the West Papua Liberation Army captured a New Zealand pilot who has been held hostage since.