Six soldiers killed, 30 missing in attempt to rescue kidnapped pilot in West Papua

Separatist rebels confronted Indonesian army troops as they searched for New Zealander who was taken hostage in February

Separatist gunmen attacked Indonesian army troops who were deployed to rescue a New Zealand pilot taken hostage by the rebels in Indonesia’s restive Papua province, leaving at least six dead and about 30 missing, officials said on Sunday.

Initial information from army reports said there were about 36 soldiers at a post in the hilly district of Nduga, when attackers from the West Papua Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement, opened fire on Saturday.