TNI Denies Viral Video of Soldiers Raiding Intan Jaya Regent's Office, Says It's Old Footage from 2021

The Indonesian Military’s (TNI) Habema Operations Command has refuted a narrative circulating on social media regarding a video accusing soldiers of breaking into and stealing from the Intan Jaya Regent’s office in Central Papua on Thursday, 23 July 2026. The Head of Information for Koops TNI Habema, Lieutenant Colonel Inf. M. Wirya Arthadiguna, stressed that the circulating video is not documentation of a recent event. Based on investigation, the recording is documentation of activities by the Task Force of Infantry Battalion 501/BY in 2021. “The video is documentation of activities by the Infantry Battalion 501/BY Task Force in 2021, when they were checking and securing the Intan Jaya Regent’s Office environment based on a report from a Civil Servant of the Intan Jaya Regency Government,” Wirya stated, as quoted on Sunday, 26 July 2026. According to Wirya, the impression of a break-in arose because several room doors could not be opened. However, the action was carried out with the knowledge of the manager as part of a security check, not an unlawful act as narrated on social media. He explained that the 2021 incident was also resolved through communication between the TNI and the Intan Jaya Regency Government. “The 2021 incident was resolved through good communication and coordination between the TNI and the Intan Jaya Regency Government. At that time, the Commander of the 173/PVB Military Resort, Brigadier General TNI Taufan Gestoro, together with the Regent of Intan Jaya, Natalis Tabuni, resolved the matter through deliberation, including the settlement of damaged facilities,” he said. Wirya added that the alleged break-in and theft at the Intan Jaya Regent’s Office reported to have occurred on 24 July 2026 is a different incident and is currently under investigation by the Intan Jaya Police. “Meanwhile, according to information from the Intan Jaya Regency Government, there was indeed an alleged break-in and theft in several rooms of the Regent’s Office on 24 July 2026. However, this incident is a separate event and is currently under investigation by the Intan Jaya Police,” he added. Therefore, Koops TNI Habema stressed that the narrative linking the 2021 documentation video to the alleged criminal act that occurred in 2026 does not match the results of the verification that has been carried out.