JAKARTA, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian security authorities were chasing at least 19 prisoners who escaped from a prison in Nabire in the eastern province of Central Papua on Monday.
The prison reportedly detained some members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), a separatist movement that aims to separate West Papua from Indonesia and establish an independent state in the region.
The Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force, a joint operation by the country's army and police to curb armed separatist rebels in Papua, is involved in the search for the jailbreakers.
In a statement on Monday, the task force chief Faizal Ramadhani said that his team was working together with the provincial police in the intensive operation.
"All escaped prisoners will be dealt with firmly according to procedure," he said, calling on the locals to remain calm over the incident and report to authorities for locations of the jailbreakers.
As many as 11 of the escapees are reportedly members of TPNPB. Three prison wardens attempting to stop the escapees received injuries in the prison break. ■