Clashes between army, students turn deadly in Indonesia's Papua

An Indonesian soldier was killed on Monday in a clash with students in Papua, a military spokesman said, while media reports said three students also died in the incident that marks a new escalation in unrest in the easternmost area.

Sometimes violent protests convulsed the region for two weeks in late August over racial slurs against Papuan students in Java's city of Surabaya, who were tear-gassed in a dormitory and detained over accusations of desecrating a national flag.

According to Press TV, the military said in a statement the soldier was stabbed to death after escorting student protesters from a demonstration at a local university in Jayapura.

The students had been taken away in trucks by security forces after police and the university prevented them from holding a protest at the campus, the statement said.

Kompas TV reported three students were also killed in the clash, citing the head of Papua province health department. A police spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.

Media said the student demonstration was led by returnees from other parts of Indonesia.

Elsewhere in Papua, Indonesian security forces were battling to restore order in Wamena, the biggest town in the highland interior of Papua province, after buildings were set ablaze.

Papua police said the clash started after a fight between students from two different schools in Wamena.

"The fight then escalated to burning of government and public facilities as well as private properties in Jayawijaya regency," they said in a statement.

"Security forces from the military and the police are still trying to calm the masses."

ME