TNI Pursues Armed Group That Abducted Nine Women in Jila, Mimika
Indonesian Army (TNI) soldiers are conducting an intensive pursuit of an armed group that carried out a brutal act by forcibly taking nine women in Jila District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua. The tragic incident, involving children and a pregnant woman, occurred on Monday (17/8).
Commander of Military District Command 1710/Mimika, Lieutenant Colonel Infantry Jozanda, confirmed that his unit responded immediately by deploying personnel to the location after receiving reports of the abduction of civilians.
“Do not worry, we have already launched a pursuit of the perpetrators. May the soldiers carrying out this pursuit be granted ease so that they can quickly find and rescue our children,” Jozanda said in Timika on Wednesday evening.
The district military commander strongly condemned the group’s actions, which he described as inhumane. According to a report from the Jila Military Sub-district Command, the armed group forcibly took nine civilians, ranging from primary school-aged children to teenagers.
The violence erupted when two mothers attempted to protect their children from being taken by force. One of the mothers, Neregingget Magai (48), was shot dead on the spot by the group. Meanwhile, another mother named Inkolung Aim suffered a broken leg after being pushed into a ravine by the perpetrators.
“The mother who was shot died immediately, and her body was cremated that same afternoon. The one with the broken leg is still alive and is currently receiving treatment in Jila,” Jozanda explained.
Information from the community indicates that the armed group numbered around 15 people. Jozanda suggested that this is a new group because its members speak a dialect or language different from the local community in Jila District.
“As for where this group comes from, we are conducting an investigation. This is a new group because their language is different from the community there,” he added.
As of now, the situation in Jila District is reported to be gradually returning to normal. However, air transport access to the area remains unavailable following the incident.