Papuan Rebels Kill 8 Phone Company Workers in Puncak Regency
In the deadliest attack by insurgents in Indonesia’s Papua region since 2018, separatist rebels killed eight workers who were repairing a telecommunications tower, security officials said Thursday. The attack in Beoga, a district of Puncak regency, targeted employees working for PT Palapa Timur Telematika (PTT) who were repairing a tower belonging to the country’s largest cellular operator, Telkomsel, according to a spokesman for a joint police and military task force. “The attack took place on Wednesday, but only became known today,” Ahmad Musthofa Kamal said in a statement. “Eight PTT employees were killed by the armed criminal group.” A Papuan rebel group said its members had attacked and killed the workers. Kamal said a worker discovered the bodies after arriving at the site on Thursday and phoned authorities. Security personnel had not yet been able to retrieve the victims’ bodies because of poor weather, Kamal said. The Puncak police department has formed a team to assist in the