PAPUA, INDONESIA An incident occurred in which a police officer from the Brimob mobile brigade unit was injured during an intervention against a violent clash between local groups.
According to available information, the police were trying to calm the situation in an area where a conflict broke out between two communities. These disputes, often referred to as “tribal conflicts,” are not uncommon in some parts of Papua and can escalate into violent clashes in which traditional weapons such as bows and arrows are used.
During the intervention, one of the police officers was hit in the eye area by an arrow. The injury was serious and required immediate medical assistance.
Papua is a long-term unstable region where, in addition to the separatist conflict between the Indonesian state and armed groups, local ethnic and tribal disputes also occur. These situations often complicate the work of security forces, which must deal with both armed clashes and the protection of civilians.
