Indonesian rebel group says it shot dead American pilot, burned his plane

Separatist rebels in Indonesia's Papua region have said that they shot dead a US pilot and set his plane on fire to "send a message".

The US pilot, Nicholas F Gosselin, was killed by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) after he landed his plane in the Highland Papua province on Thursday.

The rebels claim that civilian pilots have been bringing Indonesian troops into the region amid their conflict with the country's authorities.

Authorities confirm the incident

Indonesian officials have confirmed that Gosselin's plane had been found burnt, adding that they are unclear what happened to him or the seven people on board.

The killing follows years of clashes between the Indonesian government and Indigenous communities in West Papua over calls for independence in the resource-rich region.

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Indonesian authorities said a plane piloted by an American national and carrying seven passengers was discovered burned out at an airport in the Yahukimo region.

The country’s civil aviation authority said no security warnings were issued before the aircraft landed, though contact was lost shortly after touchdown.

An initial report from the director of the airport where the flight departed indicated that the pilot had died, according to a statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

"The suspected cause of the incident is still awaiting further confirmation from the relevant authorities," the statement said.

Rebel group bans planes

Meanwhile, TPNPB spokesman Sebby Sambom has announced that the group has banned all planes from flying across the region to avoid Indonesian troops from penetrating the disputed area.

"We immediately fired upon and burned the plane because it had violated the TPNPB ultimatum. 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," he said.

Sambom said that if Indonesian authorities wish to recover the pilot’s body, they must do so without deploying military or police forces to the area.

He also urged the Indonesian government to begin negotiations aimed at resolving the long-running conflict, which dates back to 1969 when Papua was integrated into Indonesia. Rebel groups say the violence since then has led to civilian deaths and widespread displacement.