REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Coordinating Minister for Legal, Political and Security Affairs Wiranto denied that the Indonesian Military (TNI) used bombs to chase an armed criminal group that killed construction workers in Nduga District, Papua Province, on Dec 2. According to hiim, TNI personnels used grenade launchers.

Wiranto explained a grenade makes the same sound as a bomb, but they are different. A bomb is launched from air, while a grenade is fired from a rifle.

"Hence, there should not be mazy stories like those," he explained after a coordination meeting on the settlement of the Papua issue at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs here on Tuesday.

An integrated task force involving military and police personnel is conducting an operation to chase the armed criminal group.

"Admittedly, mazy stories have been circulating about the number of personnel. I should disclose that non-organic assistance units have been deployed. Hence, not only organic troops from Brimob (the National Police's Mobile Brigade) unit and the TNI in Papua have been deployed but also non-organic troops from outside Papua have been sent there, be it from Brimob or Kopassus (the Army's special force)," he revealed.

Both Brimob and Kopassus personnel are needed to chase the armed criminal group in Nduga District owing to the difficult terrain, he stated. Wiranto said the government will never hold discussions with the armed criminal group.

"I will not hold any discussion with criminals. I did not reply to what they have claimed. Of course, their claim is not true," he clarified.

They have launched propagation to trigger public unrest and fear, he claimed.

"What is the point to reply to the claim. What is important is the government is always obligated to protect the state and its citizens," he added.

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