Authorities and witnesses say a separatist faction in Papua acknowledges shooting an American pilot after claiming the aircraft violated an ultimatum, while local officials try to verify the fate of passengers and the crew amid conflicting reports.

A separatist group operating in Papua publicly took responsibility for shooting an American pilot who had been flying military personnel into a remote area, according to the group’s statement. The claim says the aircraft continued operating despite warnings that civilian flights were banned from zones the group calls its operational area.

Local agencies have so far offered limited confirmation and no immediate comment came from the Indonesian military or diplomatic channels. Officials described a loss of communication after the pilot reported a landing at a small airstrip, and authorities said they planned to send a verification team.

A Papua separatist group said Thursday it has shot dead an American pilot who brought Indonesian troops into a ‘conflict zone.’

In a statement, Sebby Sambom, spokesman for the West Papua Liberation Army, or TPNPB, claimed the group’s fighters in Yahukimo regency shot dead American pilot Nicholas F. Goselin and set fire to an aircraft operated by PT AMA, an Indonesian airline, in Balinggama village.

There was no immediate comment from the Indonesian military or the U.S. Embassy.

The Transportation Ministry’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the plane was carrying one pilot and seven passengers. After the pilot reported that the aircraft had landed, communications with personnel at the airstrip were subsequently lost, the ministry said in a statement.

Papua police’s Cartenz Peace Task Force unit said they were still working to verify the condition of the pilot and the seven passengers and expected to deploy a team there on Friday.

Sambom said the aircraft was targeted because it allegedly violated a TPNPB ultimatum banning civilian flights from entering areas the separatist group considers its operational zones. There was no immediate information on the Indonesians who had been on board.

The spokesman alleged that civilian aircraft have been used to transport Indonesian military personnel and logistics into Papua’s remote interior and said the pilot was killed because the aircraft continued operating despite the group’s warning. The claims could not be independently verified.

The spokesman said the shooting was “the result of the failure of the Indonesian, U.S. and Dutch governments, as well as the United Nations, to address the root causes of the conflict in Papua, which has persisted for 64 years.”

The West Papua National Liberation Army is identified as the armed wing of the broader Free Papua Movement and has been engaged in an insurgency for decades. Reports say the group has carried out lethal attacks in recent months, and local officials accused some victims of being disguised security personnel.

https://x.com/WestPapua1977/status/1858134091939663950

TPNPB fighters are known to operate in Papua’s rugged highlands, relying on guerrilla tactics and intimate knowledge of the terrain to strike at military units and selective targets. Their actions often complicate access for civilians and humanitarian responders in isolated districts.

Analysts trace the movement’s origins to the mid-1960s, when calls for independence from Indonesia coalesced into an armed campaign in parts of West Papua. Over time the conflict has produced cycles of violence, periodic crackdowns, and international attention focused on human rights and governance in the region.

Indonesian authorities said the aircraft carried one pilot and seven passengers, and that contact was lost after the pilot reported a landing, leaving the situation unclear until investigators reach the site. Local police units announced plans to deploy teams to the area to confirm the condition of those aboard and to examine the wreckage where the plane was allegedly set on fire.

The separatist spokesman framed the incident as part of a longer grievance over governance and foreign involvement, asserting that external governments and organizations have failed to resolve underlying issues. Whether the fatal claim will prompt a larger military response or diplomatic engagement remains uncertain as officials verify the facts on the ground.