A 19-year-old civlian, Mr Makelon Majau, was reportedly injured during alleged Indonesian military drone strikes targeting Balamai Village in Hitadipa District, Intan Jaya Regency, on 22 June 2026. According to multiple local sources, the strikes were not preceded by an armed clash between Indonesian security forces and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB). The attack reportedly damaged civilian property, causing the residents to flee their homes in panic. The telephone and internet networks were allegedly cut during the military operation to disrupt communication.
Similar attacks on civilians in West Papua involving drone strikes have significantly increased in the past months: On 18 June 2026, a similar drone attack in the Danggoa Village, Intan Jaya, injured two indigenous women while washing their sweet potatoes in a river. Eighteen-year-old Pendite Weya was reportedly killed by a suspected drone-delivered explosive in Wunapunggu Village, Melagi District, Lanny Jaya Regency, during a security force operation on the morning of 6 June 2026. On 17 May 2026, an Indonesian military drone reportedly dropped grenades on the St Paul's Catholic Church in Mbamogo Village, Agisiga District, Intan Jaya Regency, shortly after worshippers had completed Sunday mass. The headquarters of the Papuan movement organisation West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in Jayapura, Papua Province, were allegedly attacked by a drone on 16 March 2026. As of time publication, none of these cases has been investigated to hold the perpetrators accountable.
Indonesian military forces conducted an aerial operation using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) between approximately 09:00 am and 6:00 pm across the districts Sugapa, Agisiga, and Hitadipa (see photo below, source: independent HRD). During the operation, drones reportedly carried out two strikes in Balamai Village. Preliminary reports indicate explosions reportedly damaged the yard of a residential property, uprooted several house posts and caused blast damage around nearby homes.
Mr Makelon Majau, a resident of Balamai Village, sustained shrapnel injuries whilst near his home. His dog was reportedly killed by the explosion (see photo below, source: independent HRD). Following the strikes, many residents fled the village seeking safety. Local sources further reported that telephone and internet services were deliberately disrupted during the operation, allegedly preventing information from leaving the area. At the time of writing, no official statement had been issued by the Indonesian military or the Intan Jaya Regency Government regarding the reported incident.
HRM received the photo of a drone dropping an explosive which was allegedly taken during the drone strike on Balamai on 22 June 2026. While meta data analysis of the jpeg file could not confirm the date of recording, the image shows a drone that appears to be a Bayraktar TB3 drone (see photo below, source: independent HRD). The Indonesian Military bought 60 Bayraktar TB3 armed drones and nine Akinci surveillance drones following the Indonesia visit of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoan in February 2026. The Bayraktar TB3 was designed to operate autonomously from amphibious assault ships and landing helicopter docks (LHD). It can cover a distance of 5700 km at an average altitude of 20,000 feet and stay in the air for 32 hours.
Human rights law and humanitarian law analysis
The incident raises serious concerns under international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution, which require parties to an armed conflict to distinguish at all times between civilians and military objectives and to take all feasible precautions to minimise civilian harm. The reported use of explosive weapons in the vicinity of civilian settlements and gardens may violate the right to life protected under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a State Party.
In situations of non-international armed conflict, all parties are bound by the customary international humanitarian law principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution, which require constant care to spare civilians and prohibit direct attacks against the civilian population. Even where military objectives are present, parties must take all feasible precautions to minimise incidental civilian harm. The available information indicates that the victims were engaged in ordinary civilian activities at the time of the explosion and there is currently no publicly available evidence suggesting that they were participating in armed hostilities.
Indonesian authorities should ensure a prompt, independent, effective and transparent investigation capable of establishing the facts, determining whether the attack complied with applicable international legal standards, and providing victims with access to justice, effective remedies and adequate reparation.
Detailed case data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-087-2026
Region: Indonesia > Central Papua > Intan Jaya > Hitadipa
Total number of victims: 1
1. Makelon MAjau, male 19 Indigenous Peoples ill-treatment
Period of incident: 22/06/2026-22/06/2026
Perpetrator: Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Military (TNI)
Issues: drones and cluster ammunition, indigenous peoples, security force violence
Sources: Suara Papua