YAHUKIMO - The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) has again shot dead an Indonesian intelligence agent who posed as an illegal gold miner in the region of the Defense Regional Command (Kodap) XVI Yahukimo.
The cleansing operation of the illegal gold mine reportedly caused the number of fatalities from the Indonesian side to reach more than ten people.
"TPNPB forces from the Yamue Battalion together with the Operations Commander of TPNPB Kodap XVI Yahukimo, Major Kopitua Heluka, have carried out this operation since a few days ago," said the Commander of the Yamue Battalion, Major Dejang Heluka, Saturday (23/5/2026).
TPNPB mentioned the identity of the executed victim is part of the Indonesian intelligence network, including the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), placed in the Papua armed conflict zone.
Major Dejang Heluka sent a firm message to President Prabowo Subianto regarding the presence of Indonesian immigrant citizens in the conflict region. "All Indonesian immigrant citizens who enter this armed conflict region are part of the Indonesian military intelligence agents so they must be executed dead," said Dejang Heluka.
This red zone has often been warned to be immediately emptied by all immigrant civilian citizens from outside Papua.
TPNPB considers that the warning was not heeded by the Indonesian government so that firm action in the form of execution was forced to be taken on the ground. "They are not pure civilian citizens but rather Indonesian military personnel who work as health workers, teachers, motorcycle taxi drivers, taxi drivers, up to illegal gold miners," added Dejang Heluka.
This cleansing is said not to violate international war laws because the official appeal regarding the emptying of the conflict region had been disseminated long days in advance.
Meanwhile, Major Kopitua Heluka confirmed the number of fatalities from the Indonesian intelligence side continues to increase significantly.
More than ten intelligence agents are reported to have been executed dead in a series of cleansing operations since May 17 to 23, 2026.
TPNPB even stressed that the cleansing operation in the illegal gold mining area in Yahukimo will continue to roll until the entire region is clean.
TPNPB reminded Indonesian military personnel, including the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), not to carry out arbitrary arrests against innocent native Papuan civilian citizens.
TPNPB also stated they are ready to be fully responsible before the international public for all impacts of the series of dead executions carried out.
This operation is a form of retaliatory attack for the death of two TPNPB members from the Yamue Battalion some time ago. Two West Papua soldiers under the names of Yoper Payage and Marten Heluka were arrested then executed dead by the Indonesian military in Yahukimo on May 17, 2026.
TPNPB also conveyed political demands to President Prabowo Subianto to immediately recognize the full independence of the Papuan nation proclaimed since December 1, 1961.
The armed operation is said will continue to be expanded up to the center of Dekai City until the political sovereignty of Papua is recognized de jure.
Meanwhile, the Management of the Central Headquarters of the National Command (KOMNAS) TPNPB appealed to the United Nations (UN) to give serious attention to this conflict.
Sebby Sambom, Spokesperson of KOMNAS TPNPB, stated 36 Defense Regional Commands in the Land of Papua are ready to wage a large-scale war.
Armed resistance against the Indonesian military and the illegal occupation on the Land of Papua will not stop until the root of the problem is resolved. "If President Prabowo Subianto does not immediately resolve the root of this political conflict, then shootings and military attacks will continue to widespread throughout the Land of Papua," stressed Sebby Sambom. (One Papua)