Papua Rebels Claim Killing of American Pilot, Burning Plane

Papua. Separatist rebels in Indonesia's Papua region have claimed to have shot dead an American pilot and set his plane on fire. The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) claimed on Thursday that they killed Nicholas F. Goselin after the plane landed in the Highland Papua province. The rebels claimed that Goselin's death sent a 'message' as civilian aircraft were being used to ferry Indonesian soldiers to the region. Indonesian authorities confirmed that Goselin's plane was found burnt, but said it was not yet clear what happened to him and the seven other passengers on board. This incident comes amidst the long-running conflict between the Indonesian government and the indigenous people of West Papua for independence in this resource-rich region. According to Indonesian authorities, the plane carrying the American pilot and seven passengers was found burnt at an airport in the Yahukimo area. The country's civil aviation authority stated that there were no signs of any security challenges during the plane's landing, but communication was lost immediately after the plane touched the ground. A statement issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, citing the initial report of the director of the airport from which the plane took off, mentioned that the pilot had died. The statement said, 'We are awaiting further confirmation from the relevant authorities regarding the suspicious cause of the incident.' The spokesman for Indonesia's joint police-military operation, Yusuf Suthedjo, could not confirm whether the rebels attacked the plane or the condition of the people on board. The US Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta have been contacted for comment. In a statement, TPNPB spokesman Sebby Sambom said that civilian aircraft were being used to support Indonesian military activities, so they had banned all flights in this disputed territory. He said, 'Since the plane violated the TPNPB's ultimatum, we immediately opened fire and burned the plane,' and warned, 'We are ready to shoot down any civilian aircraft in the Papua region that helps the Indonesian army transport soldiers or military equipment.' Sambom has set a condition that if the Indonesian authorities want to retrieve the pilot's body, they must come without bringing the army or police to the area. He also called on the Indonesian government to come to the negotiating table to resolve this conflict. This conflict began after Papua was annexed by Indonesia in 1969. According to the rebels, this fighting has caused the deaths of a large number of civilians and displaced many people. This incident occurred around the time when a New Zealand pilot, who had been in captivity for 19 months, was released after long negotiations between officials in Jakarta and Wellington in 2024. Just a month before that, TPNPB gunmen had shot and killed another New Zealand helicopter pilot, Glenn Malcolm Cunning, shortly after he landed in a remote village.