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Troops regain control of Irian Jaya airstrip

Indonesian troops have regained control of an airstrip in West Papua, also known as Irian Jaya, which was seized by hundreds of separatist rebels on Sunday.

A military spokesman says declined to give further details of the takeover other than that there were no casualties.

Mark Bowling reports.

Papuan tribesmen have held the air strip near the town of Ilaga for the last four-days. The rugged central highlands are often shrouded in cloud, making it difficult for the Indonesian military to send in troops by helicopter. Clashes began with a botched rebel ambush on security forces last Friday, one rebel was shot dead and two soldiers were seriously wounded. Tribesmen armed with bows and arrows and led by Free Papua separatists then attacked Ilaga town, setting fire to shops, a market and government buildings.

4/10/01 17:00:32 | ABC Radio Australia News

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