The Indonesian police and military succeeded in taking control of the Paro district, Nduga Regency, Papua Province, which was the location where a New Zealand pilot named Philip Mark Merthens was taken hostage.

Philip Mark Merthens was taken hostage by an armed separatist group calling themselves the West Papua National Liberation Army. Apart from holding the New Zealand pilot hostage, the separatist group led by Egianus Kogoya also took five other passengers hostage, including a baby.

Footage from 21 February shows when the Indonesian police and military consolidated forces in Nduga Regency to evacuate pilot Philip and passengers.

Air patrols using helicopters and ground patrols using tactical cars belonging to the Indonesian police were also carried out by the Indonesian police and military.

Nduga Police Chief, Adjunct Senior Commissioner of Police Rio Alexander Panelewen said, currently the situation in Nduga Regency is relatively safe. Then, efforts to find the whereabouts of the pilot are still being carried out.

"The TNI and Polri have taken control of (district) Nduga, and we are still prioritizing efforts to negotiate and approach. It's back to Egianus (Leader of the Armed Separatist Group) whether to surrender and return the Pilot to us or not," said the Nduga Police Chief, Tuesday (21/2/23).

According to him, the paths traversed by the Separatist Group have also been closely guarded by the TNI-Polri. All of this is a symbol that the state is here to save the public from the disturbances of the Armed Separatist Group and is making full effort to save the pilot.

"The country cannot lose. The troops have all entered, so it's up to Egianus whether he wants to surrender or not," said the Nduga Police Chief.

In its statement, the Armed Separatist group Egianus Kogoya demanded that all flights into Paro Airport be stopped and said the pilots would not be released until the Indonesian government recognized Papuan independence.

They also threatened to kill the pilot if the Indonesian police and military tried to approach their location.

Papua Police Chief Inspector General Pol Mathius D Fakhiri said that as the head of the National Police in the Papua region he asked the Armed Separatist Group led by Egianus Kogoya not to make additional movements and actions that violate the law in Indonesia.

"I once again emphasize that, as the Head of the Papua Regional Police, I have asked the Armed Separatist Group led by Egianus Kogoya to stop carrying out actions that violate the law in Indonesia. Of course, we as the Indonesian police and military will oppose this Armed Separatist Group. We will not take a single step back," said the Papua Police Chief.

However, according to Mathius Fakhiri, his party was very careful in carrying out the operation to free the hostages in the Nduga region.

"So I hope. In the future we will carry out extra careful handling to be able to save the pilot by encouraging more important negotiations to be carried out by the local Regional Government led by the Regent and religious leaders and community leaders to be able to communicate actively with the The Armed Separatist Group to find out the wishes of Egianus Kogoya," said Fahiri.

Meanwhile the Regent of Nduga, Namia Gwijangge, said that his party was currently still negotiating with the leadership of the Armed Separatist Group led by Egianus Kogoya. His party is also still seeing a number of requests from Egianus and his group. Namia asked Egianus and his group not to commit acts of violence that injure the hostages and to release the hostages in a healthy manner.

"We will try all this, I and my people go down there to talk to Egianus. We are still looking at requests from Egianus and his group. We hope that Egianus and his group will not hurt the hostages who are New Zealand pilots. All of us sit down and have a good talk, " he said.

It is known that the Armed Separatist Group led by Egianus Kogoya and their members burned a Pilatus-type aircraft belonging to Susi Air at the Paro District airfield, Nduga Regency, Papua Mountains Province, last Tuesday (7/2/2023).

Apart from setting fire to the plane, the Armed Separatist Group calling itself the West Papua National Liberation Army also took hostage a Susi Air pilot, a New Zealander, Philip Mark Merthens.