INTAN JAYA — The security situation in Intan Jaya Regency is increasingly tense following a series of air operations launched by the Indonesian military apparatus. Based on the latest report gathered by the Human Rights Defender (HRD), air strikes using unmanned aircraft or explosive drones once again shook the area of Agisiga District since Tuesday morning, May 19, 2026.
The air operations which took place intensively starting from 09:00 WIT until the afternoon were reported to target residential areas of the population. The escalation peaked at 12:00 WIT, when a bomb dropped from a drone hit the area of Danggoa Village.
The attack occurred exactly when civilians were doing activities in the yard of a house. As a result, a civilian named Erwin Mirip suffered severe injuries after bomb shrapnel hit his right thigh, while other citizens who were at the location immediately saved themselves.
"We have received valid information from the field that the Indonesian military deployed more than two drone units to bombard the area of Agisiga District, which resulted in civilian casualties," said a representative of the HRD.
The report from the HRD also revealed that this increase in military intensity has occurred since May 12, 2026. This was triggered after the mass dropping of personnel along with military logistics from Timika and Nabire toward Intan Jaya using six helicopter units.
Since that time, ground and air operations continue to be intensified massively. Although military operations are often claimed as a handling step against the TPNPB, the reality on the ground shows that the residential areas of civilians are instead directly affected.
Two days before the event in Danggoa Village, precisely on Sunday, May 17, 2026, a similar drone attack also hit the yard of the Saint Paul Nabuni Catholic Church in Mbamogo Village.
The bomb fell exactly when the congregation had just come out of the church after finishing the Sunday service. The tragic incident resulted in the Head of Danggoa Village and three other civilians experiencing critical injuries to total paralysis.
This series of air attacks triggered a wave of mass panic among the local community. In order to avoid further loss of life due to follow-up attacks, all residents from the affected villages are now reported to have vacated their places of residence.
The representative of the HRD emphasized that the humanitarian situation in the region is now in an emergency condition.
"The continuous attacks force all residents to displace and flee to the forests, neighboring districts, to securing themselves to the center of Sugapa City," they concluded. ***