JAKARTA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Gunmen shot an aircraft carrying soldiers in Papua province of easternmost of Indonesia on Monday, leaving one soldier dead, a military officer said.

The shootings occurred when the Enggang Air Service plane carrying logistics was about to land at an airport in Mapenduma of Nduga district, spokesman of Cendrawasih military command Col. Muhammad Aidi said.

The aircraft was shot at its right and soldiers who were guarding the airport shot back, triggering exchange of fires, the colonel said.

One of the soldiers was shot on stomach and later died in hospital, said the officer.

The gunmen retreated and escaped to the forest and the plane landed safely, he said in a statement.

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