TPNPB-OPM Spokesperson Sebby Sambom Again Claims Killing 6 TNI Members in Yahukimo Area
The military wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), has again claimed to have killed 6 TNI members on Wednesday (09/04/2025) between 12.00 and 15.00 Papua time.
The victims, who were called TPNPB-OPM members of the TNI disguised as traditional gold miners, suffered slash wounds to the neck, head, stomach, hands and feet. The victims were lying on river rocks at two points in Yahukimo Regency, Papua Mountains Province, namely Kali Merah, Korowai and Kali Kabur, Korowai.
The statement was conveyed by the TPNPB-OPM Spokesperson, Sebby Sambom, through a Press Release received by adilnews.com, Thursday morning (10/04/2025) at 00.56. TPNPB-OPM, according to Sambom, is the party responsible for the incident even at the international level.
In a previous Press Release, in the same district, the separatist organization claimed to have killed 11 TNI members, who were also referred to by the OPM as spies who became traditional gold miners. The eleven victims were targeted by the TPNPB-OPM, which carried out an operation that took place from April 6 to 8, 2025.
"We have repeatedly conveyed that civilians in the Papua region must immediately return to Indonesia. If they do not heed our appeal, then we assume that anyone in our region, we declare as Indonesian Security Forces, Indonesian security forces. They can disguise themselves as gold miners, construction workers, motorcycle taxi drivers, meatball sellers, traders, civil servants or others," said Sambom in a written interview with adilnews.com, Thursday (10/04/2025).
Sambom explained, of the 6 TNI members who were killed on Wednesday (09/04/2025), one of them was executed in Kali Merah, Korowai, Yahukimo. While the rest were killed in the Kali Kabur area in the same administrative area. The murder of the six victims, said Sambom, was under the leadership of Major TPNPB-OPM Yosua Sobolim, Commander of TPNPB-OPM Kodap XVI Yahukimo and Major TPNPB-OPM Kempes Matuan, Commander of the Sisibia Battalion Operations.
"In this regard, if the Indonesian Government military (TNI) wants to chase us, please come to Dekai City. We are in that city, and are conducting an operational mission in our area," challenged Simbom.
Regarding the gender and condition of the victims of the TPNPB-OPM massacre, Sambom stated that all the victims were male. According to him, in general they were Indonesian military or military spies disguised as traditional gold miners.
Meanwhile, the condition of the bodies of the victims, according to Sambom, are still located and lying in their respective locations. Evacuation efforts, he continued, are possible to be carried out by the Indonesian Government. And currently the Indonesian military and police are still on their way (to the location to evacuate them).
"All the victims are male. Currently the Indonesian military and police are still on their way (to the location to evacuate them)," said Sambom.
Quoting seputarpapua.com's Wednesday edition (09/04/2025), responding to the 11 victims killed by OPM during the period from 06 to 08 April 2025, Dandim 1715 Yahukimo, Lieutenant Colonel (Inf) Tommy Yudistyo, emphasized that the victims of the massacre by OPM were civilians who worked as traditional gold miners.
"The information about the murder is true. And the news stating that the miners were TNI is not true, aka HOAX. All the victims were miners," said Lieutenant Colonel (Inf) Tommy Yudistyo.
It was further explained that so far there have been around 11 people reported to have died after being killed by OPM at location 99, Yasip Village, Seradala District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan since April 6.
Meanwhile, the Former Head of the Strategic Intelligence Agency (Kabais), Rear Admiral TNI (Ret.) Soleman B. Ponto, ST., SH., MH., who was contacted by adilnews.com via written method, confirmed the statement made by Lieutenant Colonel (Inf) Tommy Yudistyo, Dandim 1715 Yahukimo, that the victims were not members of the TNI.
"What is clear is that it is impossible for Dandim 1715 Yahukimo, Lieutenant Colonel (Inf) Tommy Yudistyo to lie. (He must have detailed data on TNI members in his area)," said Soleman Ponto.
Soleman Ponto believes that the government is not right in determining the status of TPNPB-OPM as an armed criminal group. Because, their orientation is not robbing, stealing, cheating, killing and other criminal acts aimed at controlling property. Instead, they have a spirit of separatism, establishing their own country and separating themselves from the Republic of Indonesia.
"According to the state, they are criminals. In my opinion, the state must dare to determine that they are armed rebels. So, rebels are not just separatists," explained Soleman Ponto.
Soleman Ponto believes that resolving the TPNPB-OPM problem completely can only be done in one way, namely military operations. Because, according to his calculations, resolving it by negotiating with the OPM will not be effective, because there are many factions within the OPM itself. (fin)
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