Indonesia declares armed criminal group in eastern province Papua as terrorists

JAKARTA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's government has declared the armed criminal group locally known as KKB linked to the Papuan separatists in the Southeast Asian country's eastern province of Papua as terrorists, a senior minister said on Thursday.

"The government considers that organizations and people in Papua who commit massive violence are categorized as terrorists," Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD told a press conference held in the national capital Jakarta.

The decision, according to the minister, was made in accordance with the Indonesian law.

On Tuesday, a police officer was killed and two others were injured in a shoot-out with the armed criminal group in the province.

Joint security forces involving police and military personnel reportedly shot and killed at least nine members of the armed group during the firefight. Authorities were currently chasing the group linked to the Papuan separatists.

The separatist Free Papua Movement based in Papua has been seeking an independent state through guerrilla wars since decades ago, with violence against soldiers, police personnel and civilians.