Indonesia Papua

The announcement hinted at disagreements within the separatist movement, which could complicate Philip Mehrtens' release.

As the hostage-taking of New Zealand pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens enters its sixth consecutive month, his whereabouts in eastern Indonesia remain unknown.

The West Papuan National Liberation Army says that it will shoot Philip Mehrtens if the Indonesian government does not agree to independence talks within two months.

The attack came as a unit of soldiers attempted to search for a New Zealand pilot captured by Papuan separatists in February.

In addition to one confirmed death, nine soldiers have reportedly been taken hostage by separatist rebels.

Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti are on trial for defaming the powerful minister Luhut Pandjaitan by accusing him of conflicts of interest in relation to a Papuan mining operation.

The West Papua National Liberation Army says it holds Western countries, including New Zealand, responsible for supporting the Indonesian military.

The past few years have seen growing numbers of violent incidents in the eastern region, home to a long-running separatist insurgency.

The Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide claims that the region bears many of the structural risk factors associated with past mass atrocities.

The killings came amid protests over an Indonesian government plan to create new provinces in the eastern region.

A plan to create three new provinces in the Papua region highlights how Jakarta's development approach has failed to resolve a long-running conflict.