Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Sebby Sambom, spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM), stated the group's reasons for targeting civilians working as gold miners in Yahukimo, Papua.
He claimed that the dozens of people attacked by their group were actually part of the Indonesian national armed force (TNI), disguised as gold miners.
"Illegal mining in Kali Kabur, Yahukimo, is often conducted by the Indonesian government's military," he said on Friday, April 11, 2025.
According to Sebby, the military forces in disguise were also caught spying on their group's headquarters using a drone camera. "So, we immediately carried out the operation and executed them," he said.
The Head of the TNI Information Center, Brigadier General Kristomei Sianturi, has denied allegations that Indonesian soldiers were among the victims. He clarified that the civilians killed by the armed criminal group were not members of the TNI.
"No TNI soldier was killed," he stated in a written release on Thursday, April 10, 2025.
Previously, 17 civilians working as gold miners in Papua Mountains' Yahukimo Regency were reported killed by the Free Papua Movement (OPM). The attacks began on April 6, 2025.
OPM attacked and killed 11 individuals working as gold miners on April 6, 2025. Two days later, they killed another six people. These attacks by OPM took place in the Yahukimo Regency of Papua Mountains.
Yahukimo Regency is one of the nine areas designated by TPNPB OPM as war zones. The other areas include Pegunungan Bintang, Nduga, Puncak Jaya, Intan Jaya, Maybrat, Dogiyai, Paniai, and Deiyai.