Papua, Indonesia - A horrific attack took place in Anggruk District, Yahukimo Regency, Central Highlands Province of Papua, when an armed group calling itself the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) launched an assault on teachers and medical personnel on duty. The tragic incidents, which occurred on Friday (March 21, 2025) and Saturday (March 22, 2025), claimed the life of a female teacher, Rosalina Rerek Sogen, who suffered a brutal attack. Nine other people were injured, some in critical condition.
According to police reports, the incident began when an armed group stormed the teachers' residence, where educators live. Without warning, they attacked the teachers and set the residence on fire, which then spread to the nearby health workers' residence. Some victims managed to escape to Anggruk Hospital for safety.
However, the brutality did not stop there. The next day, on Saturday (March 22, 2025), the group returned and found Rosalina Rerek Sogen who was treating another victim. Without mercy, they attacked her until she died from her severe injuries.
Police Commissioner Yusuf Sutejo, Head of Public Relations of the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force, stated that after the incident, a joint task force from the Cartenz 2025 Peace Operation, Papua Police, and TNI personnel under the Joint Command of Defense Area (Kogabwilhan) III were immediately deployed to evacuate the victims. Given the difficult terrain, the evacuation was only carried out by air and successfully brought the victims to Jayapura on Sunday (March 23, 2025).
“We from the Police and TNI conducted a joint operation to evacuate the victims of the brutal attack of armed criminal groups in Anggruk District to a safer location. The evacuation process went smoothly despite the difficult terrain, and all victims were flown to Jayapura for medical treatment at Marthen Indey Hospital. In this incident, nine teachers and one medical personnel became victims. One teacher, Rosalina Rerek Sogen, died, three people were seriously injured, four people suffered moderate injuries, and two others were severely traumatized,” he explained.
The victims are currently receiving medical treatment at the Marthen Indey Army Hospital, while Rosalina Rerek Sogen's body is being prepared for repatriation to her hometown in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara.
Indonesian authorities are currently conducting a thorough investigation, including forensic examinations at three main locations: the teacher's residence, the hospital where the victims took refuge, and the vandalized school. The aim is to gather evidence and identify the perpetrators using scientific crime investigation methods.
The Regent of Yahukimo, Didimus Yahuli, strongly condemned this act of terror, and emphasized that violence against educators and medical personnel is inhumane and unjustified. He also urged the central government to increase security in remote areas of Papua to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“We strongly condemn the barbaric acts against the victims. This is completely unjustified. I emphasize that the victims are purely educators and health workers assigned by the local government to provide education and health services to the community and children in our region. We urge the central government to pay more attention to security in remote areas in Papua so that incidents like this do not happen again,” he said.
To date, security forces are still pursuing the armed group responsible for the attack. The situation in Anggruk District has gradually stabilized, but tensions remain among the local community, who are still traumatized by the incident. The Indonesian government has pledged to maintain security in Papua and ensure that teachers and medical personnel can carry out their duties without fear.
The attack on humanitarian workers has once again drawn global attention to the security situation in Papua, a region long plagued by conflict between separatist groups and the Indonesian government. With violence on the rise, an urgent question arises: what is the future of stability and security for humanitarian workers in this conflict-ridden region?