The New Zealand pilot who's been held hostage for more than a year in the restive Papua region has been freed by separatist rebels, Indonesian authorities said Saturday.
who's been held hostage for more than a year in the restive Papua region has been freed by separatist rebels, Indonesian authorities said Saturday.who was working for Indonesian aviation company Susi Air, was handed over early Saturday to the Cartenz Peace Taskforce, the joint security force set up by the Indonesian government to deal with separatist groups in Papua, after separatist rebels let him walk free early Saturday, said the taskforce spokesperson Bayu Suseno.
Leaders of the West Papua Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement known as TPNPB, said they would let Mehrtens go after a year being held by his captors. The rebels issued a proposal Tuesday for freeing Mehrtens that outlined terms including news media involvement in his release.Papuan separatist rebels pose for a photo with a man they said is New Zealander pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens who they took hostage last week, at an undisclosed location in Papua province, Indonesia.
Peters said a wide range of New Zealand government agencies had been working with Indonesian authorities and others to secure the release for the past 19 1/2 months. Officials were also supporting Mehrtens' family, Peters said.Mehrtens plane was set on fire in the Papua province of Indonesia.
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