Puncak Jaya, Central Papua — An assault using sharp weapons, strongly suspected to have been carried out by the armed criminal group (KKB) led by Lekagak Telenggen, targeted a civilian named Syafaruddin, who worked as a motorcycle taxi driver. The assault took place in the mountainous area of Wanwi District, Puncak Jaya Regency.
This information originated from a community report received on Saturday (July 12, 2025) at the Integrated Police Service Center (SPKT) of Puncak Jaya Police. The Operation Peace Cartenz 2025 Task Force together with Puncak Jaya Police and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) immediately responded swiftly, conducting a search and evacuation of the victim at 14:25 WIT.
Despite the difficult-to-reach terrain, personnel from the Operation Peace Cartenz Task Force, Puncak Jaya Police, and TNI successfully reached the victim by traversing an extreme path that required descending a 500-meter-deep ravine to retrieve the body.
According to local residents, the victim was last seen on Friday (July 11, 2025). Then on Saturday (July 12, 2025) at 11:45 WIT, the victim was found dead in Wanwi District. He was strongly suspected to have been assaulted with sharp weapons to the head and legs before his body was dumped into the ravine.
The steep and hilly terrain posed significant challenges to the evacuation process. The team had to walk 5 kilometers on foot and descend the ravine before successfully evacuating the body, which was then transported by motorcycle to the Wanwi District bridge and subsequently transferred by ambulance to Mulia Regional Hospital (RSUD Mulia) at 16:30 WIT.
The victim’s body arrived at RSUD Mulia at 17:20 WIT for medical examination, and it will later be returned to his hometown in Makassar.
Head of Peace Operation Cartenz 2025, Brigadier General of Police Dr. Faizal Ramadhani, S.Sos., S.I.K., M.H., accompanied by Deputy Head of Operation, Chief Commissioner of Police Adarma Sinaga, S.I.K., M.Hum., expressed condolences to the victim’s family and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the safety of all communities, especially in Papua.
“This incident underscores the importance of security forces’ presence in vulnerable areas like Puncak Jaya. We will continue to work hard to take firm action against the perpetrators and prevent similar incidents. We are currently investigating the suspects,” emphasized Brigadier General of Police Faizal.
On the same occasion, Head of Public Relation of Operation Peace Cartenz 2025, Chief Commissioner of Police Yusuf Sutejo, S.I.K., M.T., also issued an appeal to the public to remain calm and vigilant.
“We urge the public to stay calm and vigilant, and do not hesitate to report any suspicious activity to the authorities,” he said.
This incident serves as a reminder of the risks faced by civilians in the Puncak Jaya area. However, the swift response of the joint forces of the Operation Peace Cartenz Task Force and TNI in Puncak Jaya demonstrates the state’s full commitment to ensuring security and humanitarian protection in Papua.
