JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesia’s military has killed 18 Papuan separatists during an operation in its easternmost region of Papua, an official said on Thursday.
The military seized dozens of munitions, including an assault rifle, bows and arrows and an unspecified homemade weapon during Wednesday’s operation, military spokesperson Kristomei Sianturi said in a statement.
It said the Indonesian military sustained no casualties.
A spokesperson for the Papua separatists did not immediately respond to request for comments.
Rebels have fought a low-level campaign for independence in the resource-rich Papua region bordering Papua New Guinea ever since the area was controversially brought under Indonesian control following Dutch rule in a vote overseen by the United Nations in 1969.
The rebels have previously taken foreigners hostage, including a group of 26 wildlife researchers in 1996 and a New Zealand pilot who was released last year after being held for 19 months.
Last month, the rebels said they had killed more than 17 people, saying they were soldiers disguised as gold miners.
The Indonesian military has deployed some personnel in the area of Wednesday’s operation to “anticipate movements” from the remaining rebels, the statement said.
(Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by Martin Petty)
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