The United States condemned the deadly series of shootings on Thursday that left eight soldiers dead in Papua.

US Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marcial expressed his concerned in a message sent to Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto. The message said the United States disapproved of the violence that leads to the deaths of the Indonesian soldiers.

The US embassy also expressed condolences to the families of those slain and welcomed the Indonesian government's statement that it will work to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.