Koops Habema: Civilians Among Yahukimo Gold Miners

The Public Information Officer of the Operational Command Task Force (Koops Habema), Lieutenant Colonel Wirya Arthadiguna, strongly condemned the actions of the militia of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB/OPM) who shot dead eight gold miners in Yahukimo. He said that the TPNPB’s claim that the eight were military intelligence is propaganda often used to cover the militia’s crimes against civilians, including indigenous Papuans. The eight were civilians, not security personnel as alleged, Wirya stated in a written statement on Friday, 22 May 2026.

To prevent further violence, Koops Habema is now intensifying patrols at several high-risk points in the Yahukimo area. The security situation in Yahukimo remains precarious but under control.

Koops Habema, Wirya said, along with joint personnel, has continued to evacuate the victims’ bodies, involving support from a northern fleet to reach the location in the interior. Koops Habema is also continuing to hunt the perpetrators believed to be a TPNPB Kodap XVI Yahukimo militia group led by Kopitua Heluka and Dejang Heluka. “The pursuit is ongoing. We have intensified security in Yahukimo,” he said.

Previously, eight gold miners in Korowai, Yahukimo Regency were shot dead by TPNPB militants on grounds that they violated war-zone regulations and that they were undercover military intelligence.

TPNPB central command spokesperson Sebby Sambom said the act was taken with other considerations, namely that what the miners were doing had damaged the ecological balance in Papua. “This is also our response to the shooting carried out by the TNI-Polri against two TPNPB militants earlier,” Sambom said in a WhatsApp voice message on Friday.

Sambom further stated that TPNPB also reminded the TNI-Polri to leave Papua immediately and not to disguise themselves as civilians to locate militia posts. “As long as the TNI remains in Papua and continues to violence against indigenous Papuans, we will ensure to shoot those who are not indigenous Papuans,” he said.

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