Indonesia says 14 Papuan separatists killed in battle

The Indonesian military said it killed 14 Papuan fighters during an operation to liberate a village from separatist control this week, and residents welcomed its troops.

The Free Papua Movement has been fighting for independence since the territory was brought under Indonesian control following Dutch rule in 1969 in a vote overseen by the United Nations. Although Papua is rich in resources such as natural gas, copper and gold, it is one of the poorest regions in Indonesia.

Local military official Iwan Dwi Prihartono said on Wednesday that Indonesian troops moved towards the village of Soanggama on Tuesday night and clashed with a group of about 30 separatists in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

He said it took until noon for soldiers to secure the village, killing 14 separatist fighters and others fleeing to a nearby forest, leaving behind weapons and equipment.

Sebby Sambom, spokesman for the Papuan separatists, said in a statement on Thursday that the Indonesian army killed a total of 15 people, 12 of whom were civilians and 3 of whom were civilians, and that these killings were unlawful.

The commander of the operation, Major General Lucky Avianto, said in his statement that the soldiers’ actions were lawful, proportionate and supported national sovereignty.

Separatist fighters in Papua have managed to obtain better weapons in recent years; Some of these were seized during raids on army outposts or obtained on the black market.

They also kidnapped foreigners, including a New Zealand pilot who was released in 2024 after 19 months in detention.