Gunmen opened fire on a small commercial aircraft as it was landing in Indonesia’s South Papua province, killing two pilots, according to local authorities. The incident occurred in Boven Digoel Regency when a Smart Air flight came under attack during its approach to land.
Indonesian police said both pilots were fatally shot in the incident. Security forces were deployed to the area to secure the airstrip and investigate the attack. Authorities have attributed the shooting to armed separatist groups active in Papua, a region that has experienced a long-running low-level insurgency.
In a separate but related incident in the same region, a civilian was reported killed during an attack on a convoy. Officials did not immediately provide further details on the circumstances of that assault.
Flights in remote parts of Papua are considered vital for transporting goods and personnel due to limited road access. The attack highlights ongoing security challenges in the region, where clashes between security forces and armed groups have occurred intermittently.
