Papua: Separatist rebels in Indonesia’s restive eastern province of Papua shot and killed an American pilot before setting his aircraft on fire.
Sebby Sambom, the spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB)—a separatist armed group—confirmed the execution in a formal statement.
He identified the deceased American pilot as Nicholas F. Gosselin. The attack occurred immediately after the aircraft landed in the high-altitude district of Yahukimo.
The rebels justified the killing by claiming the aircraft was repeatedly used to transport Indonesian military personnel, ignoring prior warnings issued by the militant group.
Following the attack, the rebels released a video showing armed men holding rifles and axes while waving the “Morning Star” flag, the outlawed symbol of the Papuan independence movement.
The group explicitly warned that further strikes would target civilian flights if Indonesia continues aviation operations within rebel-controlled territories.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation confirmed that the aircraft lost contact immediately after landing while en route from Wamena to Yahukimo.
Owned by a local aviation company, the plane was chartered to deliver essential supplies, including food, fuel, and mail, to Papua’s remote regions.
Yusuf Sutejo, the joint police and military operations spokesperson, confirmed that security forces recovered the burned wreckage of the aircraft at a Yahukimo airfield.
The flight was carrying eight individuals: the American pilot and seven local Papuan passengers.
Details regarding the status of the passengers remain undisclosed, and the US Embassy has not issued an immediate comment on the incident.
The Papua Conflict
Resource-rich Western Papua has been locked in a bloody separatist conflict for decades, with indigenous rebel factions demanding independence from Indonesia.
Armed clashes have intensified in recent years as rebel groups have acquired more advanced weaponry, leading to a spike in casualties.
This execution follows a notorious February 2023 incident where Papuan rebels abducted New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens after landing a small commercial plane; he was held captive for 19 months before his release in September 2024.
