Banjir Ambarita – Three more soldiers have been killed, after an unidentified group exchanged gunfire with soldiers in Papua's Puncak Jaya district on Thursday, bringing the total number of casualties to eight.

The three soldiers were identified as Private Edi, Private Jojo and Private Idris.

Lieut. Col. Jansen Simanjuntak, a Papua province military spokesman said that the armed groups first attacked the Puncak Jaya military post and then attacked a group of soldiers traveling to Mulia, Puncak Jaya, one hour later.

"In an attack on the military post in Tingginambut, two soldiers were shot and one of them died," Jansen said. Jansen said that First Private Wahyu Wibowo died instantly when he was shot in the chest, while First Lieut. Reza's was wounded.

The assailants killed four soldiers who were traveling from Sinak in Puncak Jaya to the Ilaga Air Base, just three kilometers away.

"They [group of soldiers] were taking a communication device sent by Kodim 1714 [Puncak Jaya military district command], but [they] were intercepted when going up and they were shot from the top of the hill," Jansen said.

The four soldiers who were killed in transit were identified as First Sergeant M. Udin, First Sergeant Frans, First Sergeant Ramadhan and First Private Mustofa. "Two civilians were shot when the soldiers shot [the assailants] back, their condition is not yet known," Jansen added.

Jansen said that the military had not been able to identify the assailants, but claimed that the group had big enough resources to attack the soldiers.