Freeport Indonesia employee shot dead at Grasberg mine

An employee of PT Freeport Indonesia was shot dead on Wednesday in the Grasberg mining area in Mimika, Central Papua, authorities said.

The Mimika police said the victim died after being shot in the left ear.

According to Rontini, the victim was inside a pickup truck while inspecting one of the company’s operational areas when the shooting occurred.

Authorities are still investigating the incident and have not confirmed whether separatist groups were involved.

Read also: Soldier killed, Freeport employee wounded in attack near Grasberg mine

A spokesperson for Freeport Indonesia, Katri Krisnati, confirmed the shooting and expressed condolences to the victim’s family. She said the company’s operations in the Grasberg area are continuing as normal.

The incident occurred in a region that has experienced sporadic violence linked to separatist tensions. Last month, fighters associated with the Free Papua Movement attacked a Freeport convoy, killing a soldier and injuring a company employee.

Editing by Alexander Ginting