Pegunungan Bintang, Highland Papua — Armed violence has once again erupted in Papua. On Tuesday morning (October 7, 2025) at around 07:45 WIT, members of the Ngalum Kupel Armed Criminal Group (KKB) set fire to the Kiwirok State Junior High School (SMP Negeri Kiwirok) in Sopamikma Village, Kiwirok District, Pegunungan Bintang Regency.
Eyewitness monitoring reported that around 16 unidentified individuals carried out the arson attack. The Damai Cartenz Task Force, together with the Border Security Task Force (Yonif RK 753), Prayuda Task Force (Mamta), BAIS Task Force, Rajawali Task Force, and Kiwirok District Police, immediately moved toward the site. However, the perpetrators had already fled toward Delpem Village.
To prevent further attacks, the joint security team established patrols in Mangoldolki Village, located nearby, to safeguard the Kiwirok State Elementary School (SD Negeri Kiwirok) from potential threats.
Brig. Gen. Pol. Dr. Faizal Ramadhani, Chief of the Damai Cartenz Operation, strongly condemned the attack.
“An assault on schools is a cruel act targeting the future of Papua’s children. This is not only a crime against the state but also against humanity. We will relentlessly pursue the perpetrators and ensure that Kiwirok remains secure,” he stated.
The Kiwirok Junior High School building has previously been targeted. In 2021, the same facility was also burned down by the group, forcing teaching and learning activities to be relocated to SMP Negeri 1 Oksibil in Oksibil town.
Deputy Chief of Damai Cartenz Operation, Police Commissioner Adarma Sinaga, also urged residents to remain alert and avoid provocation.
“We ask the community to stay calm and immediately report any suspicious movements. Security forces are always present to protect and guarantee the safety of residents,” he said.
This latest attack on educational facilities underscores the group’s ongoing attempts to instill fear within communities. Nevertheless, the Damai Cartenz Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to safeguard the people, uphold security, and enforce the rule of law in the region.
