Separatists In Indonesia Shoot American Dead In Message To US, Group Claims

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Separatists In Indonesia Shoot American Dead In Message To US, Group Claims

Separatist rebels in the Papua region of Indonesia killed an American pilot and burned a civilian plane Thursday as a “message” for the U.S. and Indonesian governments, according to a spokesperson.

West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) members shot Nicholas F. Gosselin and set fire to his plane after he landed in the Highland province of Papua Thursday, spokesperson Sebby Sambom said, according to Reuters. The group alleged that civilian pilots have been transporting Indonesian troops into the area and the attack provided “a message,” the BBC reported. The incident is the latest in a decades-long conflict between TPNPB and the Indonesian government.

“We immediately fired upon and burned the plane because it had violated the TPNPB ultimatum,” Sambom said, claiming the group had banned any flights in the area. “We are prepared to fire upon any civilian aircraft across the Land of Papua that assists Indonesian military forces in transporting troops or military logistics.”

Yusuf Sutejo, spokesman for Indonesia’s joint police-military operations in the province, said a burnt plane flown by an American pilot with seven passengers was discoverd at an airport in the Yahukimo region of Papua, according to Reuters. Sutejo did not confirm whether the rebels were responsible or the pilot was dead, but said all passengers were Papuans.

The TPNPB, a group claiming to represent West Papua’s native people, continues to fight for independence for the Papua region, a resource-rich area composed of western New Guinea and other islands. TPNPB’s attacks have increased in both frequency and fatalities recently as they have gained better weapons, Reuters reported. (RELATED: One Missing After Helicopter Makes ‘Emergency Water Landing’ Near Iran, US Navy Says)

Sambom described the attack as a message to the U.S. and Indonesian governments for “failing to address the root causes of the conflict in ‌Papua ⁠between the Indonesian military and the West Papua National Liberation Army.” He threatened additional attacks if civilian aircraft continues traveling through rebel areas of Papua.

Members of Greenpeace Indonesia and Papuan youths stage a protest featuring theatrical performances against a National Strategic Project (PSN), a nationwide government designated development program over a controversial sugarcane plantation plan in Merauke, in Indonesia’s Papua region, outside the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs office in Jakarta on December 18, 2025. (Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba / AFP via Getty Images)

The Indonesian Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued a statement saying preliminary reports indicated that the pilot died, according to the BBC.

The Indonesian transportation ministry confirmed Thursday that the plane flew from another city in Highland Papua to Yahukimo, according to Reuters. The ministry said communications with the plane were cut off after it touched down.

Footage released by TPNPB reportedly showed rebels holding guns and axes as they announced the attack, Reuters reported. The video allegedly showed them lifting the “Morning Star” flag to symbolize independence.

The conflict between West Papuan separatists and the Indonesian government dates back to the 1960s, when Indonesia took over Papua after Dutch colonial rule came to an end, Militant Wire reported in 2021. The Indonesian government chose not to host a region-wide vote, instead selecting approximately 1,000 West Papuans who voted unanimously to become a part of Indonesia, according to the George Washington University National Security Archive. Pushes for independence grew following accusations of abuse by Indonesian authorities and resource exploitation, Militant Wire reported.

Indonesia designated the TPNPB as terrorists in 2021. A TPNPB faction attacked Kuala Kencana, the second largest city in Papua and the location of the Grasberg Mine, in 2020, reportedly killing a New Zealand contractor and seriously injuring two Indonesian employees, according to Militant Wire. The group also kidnapped New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens in February 2023 and and did not free him until September 2024, Radio New Zealand reported. Official sources said the group killed 43 people, 37 of whom were civilians, in the first half of 2025, West Papua Voice reported

The U.S. does not label the TPNPB as terrorists and has not actively fought against the separatists. However, the U.S. has partnered with the Indonesian government to create a secure Indo-Pacific region, participating in “dozens of annual engagements” with Indonesian forces each year, according to a January 20, 2025 U.S. Department of State statement. At that time, the U.S. government had $1.88 billion in active sales to Indonesia’s government via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system. In April 2026, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Indonesian Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin agreed to bolster an existing U.S.-Indonesia agreement into a Major Defense Cooperation Partnership.

The Daily Caller reached out to the U.S. Embassy of Jakarta but did not receive a response in time for publication. The U.S. Pacific Command referred the Daily Caller to the U.S. Embassy of Jakarta for comment.