Police opened fire to ward off clashes between two rival tribes in Indonesia’s Papua province, a priest said on Thursday.
Clashes between members of the Dani and Moni tribes erupted on Tuesday in Mimika district following the killing of a Moni tribesman by the rival group over a land dispute, said Hengki Magal, a local Christian minister.
“Police fired shots when the Dani people retreated to a police post after being attacked by Moni tribesmen,” he said.
Two people were killed and three others injured by the police firing, he said.
Mimika police chief Jeremias Rontini said a police team had been sent to the scene to investigate.
“We want to find out what really happened,” he was quoted as saying by the Antara state news agency.
Police said an officer was hit in the neck by an arrow.
Clashes between members of the two tribes have killed five people this month.
