Papuan rebel leader shot in raid, dead: police

Papuan rebel leader shot in raid, dead: police

Kelly Kwalik, a leader of separatist Free Papua Organization (OPM), died on early Wednesday after being shot in a raid by security authority.

Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Agus Riyanto confirmed the incident, saying that Kelly was shot during a raid at one of his hiding places in Gorong-Gorong, in the city of Timika.

Agus said that Kelly was carrying a gun as he tried to escape when officers raided his place. An officer shot him on his right thigh. Kelly died in Kuala Kencana Hospital in Timika.

The police did not give further detail on the raid.

Earlier this year Papua Police have held a meeting with Kelly in connection with a series of armed attacks targeting US-based gold miner PT Freeport Indonesia in Mimika.

During the secretive talk, Kelly claimed he was not responsible for the attacks, which has killed four people and injured dozens of others since the first ambush occurred on July 11.

Police has denied allegations that the police had set up the talk to justify their findings that local people were behind the violence. At least seven Mimika residents are facing trial in Jayapura for the attacks.

ENDS

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