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WAMENA, bhayaksa.net—– The armed conflict in the Central Highlands has claimed another innocent civilian life. A cross-district logistics and travel driver, Aris Sanda (45), was found dead after being abducted and executed by the West Papua Liberation Army (OPM) armed group. The body of the migrant worker from Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, was discovered inside his vehicle, which had been intentionally burned to the ground on the Trans-Papua highway, Jayawijaya Regency, Highland Papua.
The following is an in-depth report on the chronology of the incident based on official data released by the Habema TNI Operational Command (Koops) and the Jayawijaya Regional Police.
Ambush on the Trans-Papua Highway
The incident began on Tuesday morning, September 15, 2026. Aris Sanda was operating his regular route, driving a transport vehicle loaded with logistics and carrying several passengers from Wamena toward Mbua District, Nduga Regency. While passing through a known high-risk section of the Trans-Papua highway, specifically near the Gunung Boy incline, his vehicle was violently intercepted by an armed group. Authorities identified the perpetrators as members of the TPNPB-OPM Kodap III Ndugama under the command of Egianus Kogoya.
Chronology of Hostage-Taking and Execution
According to witness interrogations and the crime scene investigation (TKP) conducted by the Jayawijaya Police, the OPM militia immediately conducted a strict inspection of the vehicle. During the raid, the armed group separated the passengers based on their background:
- Local Passengers Released: All passengers of Indigenous Papuan descent were ordered out of the vehicle and forced to walk back toward Napua, Wamena.
- Driver Taken Hostage: Aris Sanda, a non-Indigenous migrant worker, was detained at gunpoint and forced to drive his vehicle four kilometers away toward the Danau Habema intersection in Trikora District.
Before the execution, the victim was held hostage under the threat of assault rifles. Through a propaganda video distributed by OPM spokesperson Sebby Sambom, the group unilaterally accused the driver of being an undercover military intelligence agent. This baseless accusation led to the immediate execution of the victim at the site. Following the shooting, the perpetrators placed the victim’s body back inside the vehicle and set it on fire to destroy evidence before fleeing into the jungle.
Discovery of the Body and Evacuation by TNI-Polri
Responding to reports of a missing logistics vehicle, the Habema TNI Operational Command Task Force immediately launched a search and sweep operation along the Danau Habema route on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The field team located the vehicle, which had been completely reduced to ashes. Inside the driverโs cabin, officers found Aris Sanda’s body with severe burns resulting from the vehicle fire.
Joint TNI-Polri forces secured the perimeter at approximately 1:15 PM WIT to complete the crime scene investigation. Officers recovered evidence, including a single 5.56 mm ammunition casing and the victim’s personal identification documents. At 3:30 PM WIT, the body was successfully evacuated from the conflict zone and transported to the RSUD Wamena morgue for a forensic autopsy and medical processing.
Official Statement from Habema TNI Operational Command
Responding to this tragic event, the Habema TNI Operational Command issued an official press release on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The Head of Information for Habema TNI Operational Command, Lieutenant Colonel Inf. M. Wirya Arthadiguna, affirmed the military’s commitment to take strict legal action against the perpetrators.
In the written statement, Lieutenant Colonel Inf. M. Wirya Arthadiguna stated:
“The Habema TNI Operational Command conducted a targeted search and sweep operation around the incident location. The team subsequently discovered a completely burned vehicle containing the body of the driver. Currently, the evacuation process has been carried out in accordance with standard operating procedures, maintaining strict personnel security and monitoring the latest situational dynamics on the ground.
We deeply regret this tragic event. The victim was a pure civilian who was simply earning a living by transporting logistics and fulfilling the transportation needs of the community in the interior highlands.
The Habema TNI Operational Command, alongside joint security forces, will continue to take decisive action against the armed group involved, including pursuing the perpetrators and supporting law enforcement efforts to restore safety and security for the public.”
Security Reinforcement Along Trans-Papua Route
The TNI firmly denied the OPM’s allegations, stating that Aris Sanda was a pure civilian who had been working as a logistics driver in Papua since 2013, with no ties to military intelligence. In response to the attack, the Commander of the Habema TNI Operational Command ordered a massive expansion of military patrols at critical checkpoints along the Trans-Papua highway to deter future terror attacks against public workers and logistics drivers.
Currently, the South Sulawesi Family Association (KKSS) and the Toraja community in Wamena are coordinating with local authorities to arrange air cargo logistics. Aris Sanda’s body is scheduled to be flown from Wamena Airport to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, followed by an overland journey to his hometown in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, for a proper burial. Meanwhile, the joint task force continues its intense pursuit of the armed perpetrators in the field.
Reporter: Yanpiet Sokoy
Editor:bhayaksa.net Team
