The attack was a message to the Indonesian and US governments for "failing" to address the root causes of the conflict in Papua between the Indonesian military and the West Papua National Liberation Army, says a separatist group spokesman.

A Papua separatist group said Thursday it has shot dead an American pilot who brought Indonesian troops into a ‘conflict zone.’

JAKARTA: Rebels in Indonesia’s restive easternmost region of Papua on Thursday shot dead an American pilot and set a civilian plane on fire in what a spokesperson for a local…