West Papuan independence separatists killed three Indigenous Papuans depicted in an execution-style video that has gone viral on social media across the occupied territory as a warning to "traitors" to their cause.
The West Papua National Liberation Army-Papua Freedom Organisation coalition has claimed responsibility for the shootings off the Trans Papua Highway in Yahukimo regency in the Highland Papua province last week.
The dual armed and political groups that are both seeking sovereign independence for the Western New Guinea archipelago from Indonesia ordered the executions through the command of Major Kopitua Heluka for the Yahukimo Papuan separatist group long associated with the armed wing of the broader West Papuan movement.
Major Heluka reported the Kodap XVI Yahukimo and Kodap III Ndugama Darakma regional military commands carried out the killings of the two men and one woman, who were accused of being intelligence agents the Indonesian military.
"We are fully responsible for the actions," West Papua National Liberation Army spokesperson, Sebby Sambom, confirmed in the statement.
Mr Sambom claimed the coalition has documented evidence showing the three victims were involved in assisting security authorities in their operations against the West Papuan push for independence.
He also relayed a threat, attributed to Major Heluka, against any Papuans acting as informants or agents for the Indonesian security apparatus amid the heavily-surveyed Yahukimo regency that they have been forewarned.
The Habema joint military operation, whose command has been operating in the territory since 2024 to improve coordination between the Indonesian National Armed Forces and the Indonesian police in areas affected by the long-running conflict with Papuan separatist groups, have claimed the three victims were innocent civilians and not informants.
Husband Kumis Kogoya, his wife Seli Wenda and an unidentified Unaukam tribal woman were killed in an ambush.
Habema chief spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel M Wirya Arthadiguna, said the loss of civilians' lives was not justifiable.
"Every Papua resident has the right to live safely, work, raise their families and build their future without fear," he said in an Indonesian National Armed Forces statement.
"The security apparatus will continue to coordinate to investigate the incident and chase down the perpetrators and enforce the law."
Lt Col Arthadiguna told the public steps have been taken to provide protection for Papuan people to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The video clip showed the married couple sitting roadside in front of a row of the West Papuan rebels holding firearms, machetes, bows and arrows, with the Morning Star independence Star flag, the historic symbol of West Papua separatism.
One of the separatists offered a statement in the video, accusing the couple of being intelligence agents for the Indonesian government before signalling to one of his militant colleagues holding a rifle to shoot them both.
The West Papua National Liberation Army-Papua Freedom Organisation coalition has claimed to have started to target Papuans they believe to be acting as Indonesian agents or assisting the national government, military and police forces to bring down the Indigenous separatist movement.
The West Papuan rebels had previously only targeted unknown newcomers from outside of the Papuan territory, who were largely ethnic Indonesian residents.
The armed wing for the independence separatism have declared certain regions a "war zone" and prohibited any military or police movement into those areas.
They have also banned civilian flights from entering the region, accusing such flights as being used to move security apparatus.
This most recently occurred last month when a humanitarian air service had been accused of transporting Indonesian military personnel and ammunition for an armed operation.
The West Papua National Liberation Army killed Nicholas Gosselin, an American pilot flying for Associated Mission Aviation, which has denied being behind the allegations of aiding and abetting Indonesian forces in the territory.
Western New Guinean topography is a predominantly mountainous area where many of its communities can only be reached by small airplanes.
While the humanitarian air service says it transports food, fuel and mail to remote communities across the territory, the separatists have accused the commercial carrier of "frequently dropping Indonesian security personnel" in violation of its mission goal.
