Three people were killed by Papuan rebels today, Indonesian authorities said, in the latest violence to hit the restive region ahead of regional elections.
The separatists fired on a small plane carrying 15 police officers -- travelling to oversee the polls -- just after it landed at Nduga in the centre of the province, Papua military spokesman Muhammad Aidi said.
The plane's pilot was injured in the attack, he added. Several rebels then killed a trio of street vendors as they fled the scene, Aidi said.
"As they were fleeing, they shot and attacked vendors near the airport," he said. "Three of them were shot dead while another was seriously injured."