NDUGA – Indonesian military security forces launched another shooting and bombing attack using two fighter jets in the Nduga region on 18 September 2026 at around 04.30 WIT.
The air strike, strongly suspected to have been flown from Timika City under the control of the Commander of Joint Defense Regional Command (Pangkogabwilhan) III, resulted in six members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) Defense Regional Command (Kodap) III Ndugama Darakma suffering light injuries from gunshot wounds and bomb explosions.
The military attack using the air fleet spread to destroy local civilian residential areas. Official reports regarding the series of brutal shootings and bombings were conveyed directly by the Commander of TPNPB Kodap III Ndugama Darakma, Brigadier General Egianus Kogeya, and Operations Commander Major Belia Kogeya. The large-scale attack serves as evidence of the escalating armed conflict in the mountainous region of Papua.
"TPNPB together with all TPNPB Kodap III Ndugama Darakma forces will never back down a single step in fighting Indonesian security forces on the battlefield, even if bombarded using helicopters, fighter jets, or military drones," Egianus Kogeya asserted, Wednesday (23/9/2026).
Egianus Kogeya urged Indonesian security forces to immediately stop bomb attacks and brutal shootings in civilian residential areas. The use of fighter jets, helicopters, and heavy weapons was considered unbalanced in open battlefield warfare against TPNPB. The massive use of heavy defense equipment has great potential to add to the long series of civilian casualties among unarmed people.
TPNPB also highlighted the attitude of some civil activists and Papuan people in urban areas who were assessed as selective in voicing humanitarian issues. TPNPB regretted the public's silence when Indonesian security forces shot indigenous people such as pastors, pregnant women, children, students, and the elderly. However, when TPNPB shot members identified as Indonesian military intelligence agents, the action actually triggered an uproar on social media.
Before this military operation took place, TPNPB had actually issued a stern appeal to all Indonesian immigrant residents to immediately leave TPNPB battle operation areas. TPNPB emphasized that any immigrant resident indicated to be an Indonesian military intelligence agent would be executed in accordance with applicable laws of war.
In addition to conveying the chronology report of the battle, TPNPB attached several photographic evidences of damage to public facilities and civilian residences in Nduga due to air bomb attacks on 18 September 2026.
The Management of the National Command Headquarters (KOMNAS) TPNPB urged an end to the use of air defense equipment so as not to trigger a deeper humanitarian crisis in the Land of Papua. (One Papua)