ENTRE News – New Zealand has opened its voice after an armed criminal group (KKB) was said to have shot dead a pilot from that country in Papua. A spokesperson for New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) responded.
“We are aware of the reports from Papua. Our Embassy in Jakarta is seeking further information from the authorities,” said an MFAT spokesman.
He then said, “We cannot provide any further comment at this stage.”
Previously, the Head of Operations (Kaops) of the Cartenz Peace Task Force, Brigadier General Faizal Ramadhani, a pilot named Glen Malcolm, was killed.
“It is true that there was a hostage taking and murder carried out by the KKB against Glen Malcolm Conning, who was a PT Intan Angkasa Air Service helicopter pilot,” he said in an official release.
Faizal also said that the KKB burned an IWN MD.500 ER PK helicopter in Alama District, Mimika, Central Papua, at around 10.00 WIT. Alama District is an isolated area in Papua. The helicopter was carrying two adults, one baby and one child.
Head of the Cartenz Peace Public Relations Task Force, Kombes Bayu Suseno, said that, based on testimony from witness D, after landing all the passengers were confronted by KKB. Bayu said that the KKB members who were at the location were pointing firearms. He also led the pilot and passengers to a clearing area around the landing site.
“After that, the KKB immediately murdered the pilot. The pilot’s body was taken to the helicopter and then burned along with the helicopter,” said Bayu.
Meanwhile, passengers who are local residents are safe.