March 23, 2025 | 09:55 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Head of the Information Center of Cenderawasih Regional Military Command, Infantry Colonel Candra Kurniawan, stated that dozens of health workers and teachers have been evacuated from Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands, Indonesia. The evacuation was carried out to anticipate further attacks by the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) group, which previously killed six teachers on Friday, March 21, 2025.
The evacuated teachers and health workers originated from Heriapini District, Kosarek District, Ubalihi District, Nisikni District, Walma District, and Kabianggama District. "The evacuation was carried out using an Adventist Aviation plane with a total of 58 passengers, including 4 children and 1 civilian through Wamena airport," Kurniawan said in a written statement on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
The teachers and health workers were flown from Wamena to Jayapura on Saturday evening local time. Kurniawan stated that the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force has been deployed to Yahukimo to anticipate attacks on civilians.
Prior to this, six teachers in Anggruk District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands, were reported to have been killed in an attack by an armed group on Friday, March 21, 2025. The victims were allegedly burned alive while inside the school building.
"Indeed, six teachers died in a heinous and inhumane attack. In this attack, they set fire to the school and teachers' houses," said Head of the Information Center of Cenderawasih Regional Military Command, Infantry Colonel Candra Kurniawan.
Kurniawan suspected that the attack was carried out by an armed group from TPNPB-OPM. He stated that the victims were burned alive.
Out of the six victims, Kurniawan said that four of them have been identified. One of the victims was known to be a health worker assigned to Anggruk District.
Spokesperson for TPNPB-OPM Sebby Sambom stated that their group was behind the attack. He said the attack was carried out because the victims were part of the intelligence personnel deployed by the security forces in Yahukimo.
"We are responsible for this attack and we have killed six teachers and health workers and burned the houses of intelligence agents," said Sebby as quoted in a press release on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
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