Indonesian soldier killed in Papua rebel attack

JAKARTA: An Indonesian soldier was killed on Monday in a shootout with rebels in restive Papua, prompting more than a thousand civilians to flee fighting near the world’s biggest gold mine.

A low-level separatist insurgency has simmered since Jakarta took control of the mineral-rich region in the 1960s following a vote -- widely viewed as rigged -- to stay within the archipelago.

The soldier died in a firefight on Monday after rebels ambushed a military office in Jila district near the Grasberg gold and copper mine, operated by US-based Freeport McMoRan, the military said.

"The officer was hit by a ricocheting bullet and later died at the hospital," said army spokesman Dax Sianturi. The shootout comes after authorities said a police officer was killed last month in the same region.

Papua rebel spokesman Sebby Sambon said the separatist movement was responsible for the attack. The mine is a frequent flashpoint in a conflict fanned by demands for independence and a bigger share of the region’s vast resources.

More than 1,500 residents, including children, have fled the area for larger Timika city in the past few days, Papua police said, as they vowed a strong response to the attack. "We will take firm measures because they are using guns and many of our members and citizens have become victims," said Papua police chief Paulus Waterpauw.

Indonesian authorities routinely blame rebels for violence in the area, which shares a border with independent Papua New Guinea. Conflicting reports are also common.