Papuan Rebels Holding New Zealand Pilot Captive Offer Talks To Indonesia

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Papuan Rebels Holding New Zealand Pilot Captive Offer Talks to Indonesia

Separatists in Indonesia's Papua region said Thursday they were open to talks with Jakarta on the release of a New Zealand pilot, who has been held captive for two months

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th April, 2023) Separatists in Indonesia's Papua region said Thursday they were open to talks with Jakarta on the release of a New Zealand pilot, who has been held captive for two months.

"We are willing to resolve the problem of the New Zealand pilot hostage through peaceful diplomacy and we must do this," Sebby Sambom, spokesman of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), was quoted as saying by the Tempo daily.

Rebels in Indonesia's second-largest province kidnapped Philips Mehrtens during a routine mission and demanded that Jakarta recognize the region's independence and pull troops from the Nduga area.

Fighting between Papuan separatists and Indonesian security forces has escalated in recent months. Rebels have been pushing for independence ever since the resources-rich region was brought under Indonesian control following a UN-backed backed referendum in 1969.