Jakarta – A group of gunmen has been laying siege to 1,300 residents in Banti and Kimbely, two villages in Timika, Papua, near Freeport Indonesia's Grasberg mine in the past few days, police said on Thursday (09/11).

"The gunmen are not allowing residents to leave their villages. We're just trying to prevent any casualties at the moment," Papua Police spokesman Chief Comr. Suryadi Diaz told the Jakarta Globe by phone.

According to Suryadi, around 300 people trapped in the villages are traditional gold miners who are not originally from the area.

Banti and Kimbely are located near the Utikini River in Tembagapura, close to the Grasberg copper and gold mine operated by Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan.

Suryadi said the group of around 30 gunmen, that police believe is led by Sabinus Waker, has surrounded the villages since Tuesday.

According to the police, Sabinus and his men attacked policemen and Freeport Indonesia staff in a series of shootings in October, killing one police officer.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.id/news/gunmen-lay-siege-two-villages-near-freeport-mine-papua/