Papua: Separatist rebels in Indonesia’s Papua province kidnapped a New Zealand pilot and later threatened to kill him. The pilot was apprehended after his aircraft crashed in the Nduga neighborhood and was set ablaze.
According to the BBC, five people on board the aircraft, including a young kid, are thought to have been released. Philip Merthens has been identified as the pilot. In a statement, the New Zealand government said that it is aware of the situation and that its consulate in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is making every effort to help the pilot’s family.
In particular, the separatists want Indonesia to acknowledge West Papua’s independence. Indonesia has designated the West Papua National Liberation Army as a terrorist organization, and it has taken responsibility for the crime.