The West Papua National Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the killings.
Photo: Supplied
The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) says it has killed eight people who it claims were Indonesian military intelligence officers.
However, Indonesia’s military disputes this claim and says the victims were civilians.
The massacre happened in remote Yahukimo regency in Papua’s Highlands province.
In a statement on Thursday, the TPNPB claimed responsibility for the killings, saying the victims were military officers disguised as gold miners.
But Reuters reports a military spokesperson saying the victims were not military, but were simply working in the region as gold miners.
The spokesperson said authorities are on the hunt for the perpetrators, adding that the situation in Yahukimo was dangerous but under control.
The Liberation Army called on the government to stop sending military officers to Papua disguised as gold miners or taxi drivers.
The pro-independence West Papuan fights have been engaged in sporadic exchanges with Indonesian security forces in a long running conflict centred on Papua’s rugged interior.
