Jayapura – The Armed Criminal Group (KKB) has carried out a number of acts of terror and shootings in Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency, Highlands Papua, over the past week.
This terror was carried out in series with the hostage of Susi Air pilot Philip Mark Merthens by KKB leader Egianus Kogoya in Nduga Regency.
Papua Police Chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri said there were several alleged motives for the KKB acting up at Yahukimo. One of them, to break the concentration of security forces.
“If we see that this is still one group, all of them have the same affiliation.”
“It could also be intentional to divert the issue, it could also be a group that wants to seek popularity after seeing Nduga succeed in bringing in pilots, they are also making an action to be seen,” said Fahiri in Jayapura.
Because of this, the security forces are still focused on carrying out the operation to rescue the Susi Air pilot and at this time they will also try to return the situation in Yahukimo back to conduciveness.
Faakhiri said that reinforcements would be sent to Yahukimo, including additional personnel from outside Papua.
“We from the police are assisted by friends from the TNI, we will strengthen where shooting disturbances always occur,” he said.
Regarding the decision of the management of Trigana Air and Wings Air to temporarily stop operations at Yahukimo, Fahiri stated that the security forces would make every effort so that the Nop Goliath Airport area could be sterile from security disturbances.
“We provide guarantees (security), we just have to make sure first, we will strengthen Yahukimo,” he said.
The security situation in Yahukimo has been disrupted since March 1 2023. At that time Private LW died, Dandim 1715/Yahukimo Lt. Col. Inf J.V. Tethool and two of his members suffered gunshot wounds.
Then another shooting occurred on Wednesday (8/3/2023). In this incident, EP (18) and VS (24) died from gunshot wounds.
Papua Police Chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri suspects that the shooter was Yotam Bugiangge who is a dismissed member of the TNI and has joined Egianus Kogoya.
“The culprit was Yotam Bugiangge on Egianus’ orders,” said Fakhiri in Jayapura, Thursday (9/3/2023).
Then on Saturday (11/3/2023), KKB shot a Trigana Air plane that was about to land at Nop Goliath Airport.
At that time, none of the bullets hit the fuselage. However, when the same plane took off to fly to Jayapura, shootings occurred again.
As a result, one bullet hit the lower fuselage with a hole. Luckily the plane was still able to continue its flight and managed to land safely at Sentani Airport.
