Antara News·Indonesia·Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 11:48 AM

Separatists behind murder of driver in Highland Papua, military says

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Walda Marison, Nabil Ihsan

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian military concluded that Papuan separatists under the Free Papua Movement (OPM) banner were behind the recent murder of a driver near Lake Habema in Highland Papua.

Lieutenant Colonel Wirya Arthadiguna, Head of the Information Office in the Habema Joint Operations Command of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), identified the victim as Aris Sanda, who was killed while driving a passenger vehicle on Tuesday.

"The driver, identified as Aris Sanda alias Bapak Tasya, from Toraja, became the latest fatality of OPM's III Defense Command Ndugama," Arthadiguna said in his written statement on Wednesday.

He explained that the open-bed vehicle driven by Sanda was stopped by armed individuals while en route from Wamena to Mbua at 6 a.m. local time.

"The group inspected the driver and all his passengers," he noted.

The perpetrators then told all passengers to return to Wamena while separating Sanda from the group, forcing him to walk toward Lake Habema.

After retrieving information about the incident, TNI personnel from the Habema Joint Operations Command searched the location on Wednesday, when they found a burned vehicle and Sanda's dead body.

The officers promptly retrieved the body with security procedures, he said, adding that they are investigating the circumstances of the driver's death.

The Habema Joint Operations Command is also pursuing individuals responsible for the incident to preserve security in the region.

"We will continue our operation against armed individuals responsible, including by pursuing them, as well as supporting law enforcement to prevent another victim and provide security to the people," Arthadiguna remarked.

The rebels have frequently used hit-and-run tactics against Indonesian troops and staged assaults on civilians in Papua.

Targets have included construction workers, motorcycle taxi drivers, teachers, students, food vendors, and civilian aircraft crews.

Notable incidents include February 7, 2023: New Zealand pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens was taken hostage by an armed group led by Egianus Kogoya after landing a Susi Air flight in Nduga District. His aircraft was then set on fire.

April 2025: Sixteen illegal gold miners were shot dead by an armed group in Yahukimo District, Highland Papua.

July 2, 2026: American pilot Nicholas F. Goselin, 29, was fatally shot by an armed separatist group after landing in Balinggama, Yahukimo District, Highland Papua.

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