Indonesian Military Recaptures OPM Strongholds in Yahukimo, Secures Weapons and Key Documents

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YAHUKIMO, PAPUA HIGHLANDS — Indonesia’s military said on Thursday it had recaptured key strongholds of the separatist group Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM) in Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands, following a security patrol that escalated into armed clashes in the early hours of the morning.

The operation, carried out by the Habema Joint Task Force, targeted OPM’s Kodap XVI/Yahukimo headquarters located along Jalan Gunung in Dekai District. Military officials said the patrol was launched late Wednesday night in response to repeated armed attacks attributed to the separatist group, including shootings at aircraft, attacks on security vehicles, arson against schools, and assaults on civilians.

According to the military, troops conducted a covert infiltration into two OPM bases—known as the Sisibia and Yalenang camps—before engaging an armed OPM patrol at dawn on Thursday. Several OPM fighters were reported killed in the firefight, including one figure described as a senior operative within Kodap XVI/Yahukimo.

Security forces also seized multiple firearms, ammunition, spent shell casings, communications equipment, navigation devices, mobile phones, bladed weapons, traditional bows and arrows, the Morning Star flag—widely regarded by authorities as a separatist symbol—and internal documents linked to the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the armed wing of OPM.

Following the clashes, the military said it had established full control over both camps, which were believed to function as key command and logistics hubs for separatist activities in the Yahukimo area.

Major General Lucky Avianto, commander of the Habema Joint Command, said the operation underscored the military’s commitment to safeguarding Indonesia’s sovereignty and protecting civilians from armed separatist violence.

“The recapture of these two OPM bases demonstrates the readiness and professionalism of Indonesian troops in the field,” Avianto said in a statement. “Securing the Jalan Gunung corridor is a strategic step to disrupt OPM’s mobility and supply lines, while ensuring greater security for local communities in Yahukimo.”

Military officials added that the operation proceeded in a controlled manner with support from local residents. Authorities expect the seizure of the camps to weaken OPM’s operational capacity and improve overall security conditions in the regency, which has seen persistent low-intensity conflict in recent years.

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