Separatist rebels say Indonesian army attacks threaten the safety of kidnapped New Zealand pilot

Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Separatist rebels in Indonesia’s restive Papua region have warned that military attacks in recent days to rescue a New Zealand pilot who was taken hostage over a year ago could instead threaten his safety. The rebels say the government has deployed more troops and launched airstrikes with helicopters since Monday on the rebels’ headquarters in Alguru village, where the pilot is believed to be held. They urged New Zealand’s government to ask Indonesia to immediately stop the military operations in Papua. The pilot’s abduction reflects the deteriorating security situation in Indonesia’s easternmost region of Papua, a former Dutch colony that is ethnically and culturally distinct from much of Indonesia.