Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian. (papua.polri.go.id)

"Usually after shooting their target, the perpetrators directly escape to the forest..."
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - Chief of Papua Provincial Police Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian said the location problem in regard with the recent shooting incident that left eight soldiers killed, has hampered investigation in the province.

"The difficult condition of landscape becomes the main obstacle to reveal shooting cases that occurred in Papua," he told ANTARA News here on Tuesday regarding the least unidentified shooting cases disclosures in Papua.

It was reported earlier that ten members of the Sinak Resort Military Command of the 1714/Puncak Jaya Military Command were on the way to Sinak airstrip to pick up logistics and radio packages from Nabire when they were ambushed. Eight soldiers were killed in the shootings.

The slain soldiers were First Sergeants Udin, Frans, Ramadhan, and Edi, First Private Mustofa, Wahyu Bowo as well as Chief Private Jojo Wiharja and Wempi.

Meanwhile, the civilians killed in the incident were identified as Markus Kevin Rendenan, Yulius, Rudi, and Yohanis Palimbong.

"Usually after shooting their target, the perpetrators directly escape to the forest around the scene and that hampered the officer`s pursuit," Tito said.

The police, however, will continue investigating the shooting cases, Tito said.

"We hope that the residents help the security officers by reporting suspected persons to the nearest security posts," he noted.

Previously Tito said that the shooting incident was not related to the rebellion movement in Papua.

Police suspected that the incident was related to the district head elections at the time.
(Uu.B019/B003)

Editor: Priyambodo R