12 Civilians Reported Killed in Shootout in Papua, OPM Blames TNI
The armed separatist group Papua Merdeka has accused the Indonesian National Army (TNI) of being responsible for civilian casualties in a military operation in Puncak Regency, Central Papua, last week.
Spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army-Organisation for a Free Papua (TPNPB-OPM) Sebby Sambom claimed that the TNI operation killed 12 civilians from 13 to 15 April.
Sebby emphasised that there were no clashes between TPNPB-OPM and the TNI in the Puncak area during those dates. What occurred was a unilateral TNI military operation targeting civilians in the region.
“There was no armed contact between TPNPB-OPM forces and the Indonesian military in the Puncak area (on those dates),” Sebby said via text message to Republika on Monday (20/4/2026).
Sebby accused the TNI of attacking civilians during its military operation. “The Indonesian military has killed 12 indigenous Papuans who were civilians. This killing was carried out on 13-15 April 2026 in Puncak Regency, Papua,” Sebby stated.
He said the TNI military operation was also accompanied by the burning of residents’ homes. “The killing of civilians is a serious human rights (HAM) violation, because unarmed people were attacked and killed,” Sebby said.
Previously, the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) in Jakarta also reported that 12 civilians, including children and vulnerable groups, died in a crackdown operation by the TNI against the armed separatist group Papua Merdeka in Kembru Village, Kembru District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua.
Komnas HAM condemned the crackdown operation by Task Force Habema against the separatist group that resulted in civilian casualties.
“On 14 April 2026, a crackdown operation against the TPNPB-OPM group was carried out by the TNI in Kembru Village, Kembru District, Puncak Regency. The incident caused 12 civilians to die, including vulnerable groups of children and women with gunshot wounds,” said Komnas HAM Chair Anis Hidayah in a Komnas HAM press release received on Monday (20/4/2026).