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Reuters
Reuters
Politics
By Kate Lamb

Separatists in Indonesia's Papua threaten to shoot Kiwi hostage if denied talks

Indonesia Papua Phillip Mehrtens New Zealand
A man who is identified as Philip Mehrtens, the New Zealand pilot who is said to be held hostage by a pro-independence group, sits among separatist fighters in Indonesia's Papua region in this undated handout picture released on May 26, 2023. The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB)/Handout via REUTERS

Rebels in Indonesia's Papua region threatened to shoot a New Zealand pilot they took hostage in February if countries do not comply with their demand to start independence talks within two months, a new video released by the group on Friday showed.

Guerrilla fighters in Papua's central highlands, who want to free Papua from Indonesia, kidnapped New Zealand pilot Captain Phillip Mehrtens after he landed a commercial plane in the mountainous area of Nduga.

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