Gunmen have opened fire on an Indonesian military helicopter in Papua province, as crew members were trying to retrieve the bodies of seven soldiers.
The soldiers were ambushed by gunmen in two separate attacks yesterday morning.
The helicopter was forced to abort its mission to a remote airstrip in the mountains and at least one member of the crew has been injured.
Unidentified gunmen shot dead eight soldiers and seriously wounded another yesterday in two separate incidents in Indonesia's Papua province.
Papua military spokesman Jansen Simanjuntak says the first incident took place in the district of Puncak Jaya, when an armed group opened fire on a military post in Tingginambut village, killing one soldier and injuring another.
The second attack occurred an hour later in the neighbouring district of Sinak, when armed attackers shot at nine soldiers walking to a nearby airport, killing seven.
Indonesia's chief security minister Djoko Suyanto says two different groups are thought to be responsible for the attacks.
Mr Djoko says intelligence suggests the gunman who killed one soldier in the Puncak Jaya region was part of a group led by a man called Goliat Tabuni.
Gun attacks are common in Papua, where poorly-armed separatists have for decades fought a low-level insurgency on behalf of the mostly ethnic Melanesian population.
The mountainous Puncak Jaya district is a known hideout for armed separatists.
Deeply concerned
The Australian Government has sent condolences to the families of the eight soldiers killed.
Australia's Ambassador to Indonesia, Greg Moriarty, has released a statement expressing deep concern, adding the violence is detrimental for the people of Papua and West Papua.
Mr Moriarty also conveyed condolences to the victims' families on behalf of Australia.
ABC/AFP
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