Jakarta – Papua New Guinea (PNG) has reportedly expelled members of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) from its territory after setting a January 19 deadline to do so, Antara has reported.

The deputy commissioner of the PNG Police, Raphael Huafolo, announced in Port Moresby that all OPM separatists, who illegally entered PNG, had been forced to return to Indonesia's Papua.

He admitted that the border area with Indonesia was vulnerable to infiltration by OPM members and that it must be overseen carefully by both countries.

PNG has deployed some 30 policemen in Wutung, thelast PNG village near the border between the country's Sandaun province and Papua. Another police unit is expected to arrive next week.

PNG foreign minister Rabbie Namaliu earlier vowed that no area in his country would become an OPM base from where the OPM could launch attacks on Indonesian territory.

Namaliu made the promise to Indonesian Ambassador to PNG John Djopari during a meeting early this month.