Jayapura. Indonesian security forces have evacuated dozens of employees from a gold mining operation in Central Papua, including 26 Chinese nationals, following an attack by separatist gunmen, police said on Sunday.

The incident occurred in Nabire Regency in Central Papua, where armed assailants stormed vehicles and a security post belonging to mining firm Kristalin Eka Lestari on Saturday, killing two people. Police said the attackers were linked to a militia wing of the Free Papua Movement led by Aibon Kogoya.

“We are still evacuating all employees from the mining area, including 26 Chinese citizens,” Nabire police chief Samuel Tatiratu said. He added that a day earlier, authorities had already rescued 75 people, including informal gold miners, from the Musairo River area.

The identities of the two fatalities are still under investigation.

Witnesses said a vehicle carrying company staff was fired upon by three gunmen armed with long-barreled rifles before the security post was attacked. Two passengers, Ihzan Fahrudi and Riski, managed to escape unharmed.

A worker from South Sulawesi told local media he came under fire while at the security post.

“I was the first to be shot at. I ran and jumped into the river,” said the man, who declined to be named. Two of his colleagues were still inside the post when the attack occurred, though police have not confirmed whether they were among the victims.

Separatist violence has persisted for decades in Papua, one of Indonesia’s poorest regions despite its vast natural resources. The area is home to one of the world’s largest gold and copper mines operated by Freeport Indonesia.

Deadly attacks targeting security forces, construction workers, and even teachers and healthcare staff continue to occur sporadically, underscoring the fragile security situation.

The previous government under President Joko Widodo poured hundreds of trillions of rupiah into roads and logistics infrastructure over the past decade to improve connectivity and spread economic gains across Papua. But ongoing insecurity, local corruption, and weak oversight have slowed progress.

Jakarta has since split Papua from two into six provinces in a bid to improve coordination and accelerate development. Still, the latest violence highlights that security and political stability in the region remain far from fully restored.

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