JAKARTA, March 23 (Xinhua) -- At least six people in a remote area in the eastern province of Papua Highlands reportedly died on Friday in an ambush by armed insurgents, the Indonesian military told local media on Sunday.

According to a preliminary report, the incident took place in the district of Aggruk in Yakuhimo region.

The Papua Cendrawasih Military Command's spokesman Candra Kurniawan said that the victims were allegedly burned alive inside a school building.

"Six teachers were killed in a barbaric and inhumane attack. In this attack, the rebels burned down a school as well as teachers' houses," Kurniawan said.

Authorities, he said, have identified four of the victims. One of the identified victims worked as a medical worker in the region.

A spokesperson of the National Liberation Army of West Papua (TPNBP) fighters has confirmed to several local media that the attack was carried out by the group, saying that all victims were part of an intelligence unit deployed by the Indonesian security authorities in Yakuhimo region.

The Indonesian military and police have frequently been engaged in conflicts with the separatists in Papua, causing casualties from both sides.

The TPNBP based in the province has been seeking an independent state through guerrilla wars since decades ago, targeting military and police personnel as well as civilians. Enditem

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