Timika, Papua. An army deserter who became a mercenary for a rebel group in Papua has been shot to death during a recent security operation, authorities said on Monday.

Denis Murib was killed after a joint operation of the military and the police raided a rebel stronghold in the Papua regency of Paniai.

Denis, who was a second private in the army, had left his unit in Dogiyai Regency, Central Papua in mid-April to join the rebel group, said Lieutenant General Richard Tampubolon, commander of the joint command in Papua.

"Denis Murib was shot to death by service members of the military who were performing their professional duty, adding to the list of members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) killed by the military," Richard said in a statement.

The deserter reportedly had joined a rebel cell led by notorious rebel figure Undius Kogoya in Paniai. The cell is blamed for a series of deadly attacks on civilian and military/police targets in Papua in recent years, including the brutal murders of dozens of construction workers in the restive province.

In the most recent attack last week, a pickup truck driver was fatally shot and burned inside his vehicle.

"During the security operation on Friday, the military successfully recaptured the district of Bibida in Paniai regency, which was previously controlled by the OPM, and killed an army deserter who had joined the rebel group,” Richard said.

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