PASIR PUTIH, ARADIDE, CENTRAL PAPUA, INDONESIA – APRIL 11, 2024 Commander of an Indonesian army unit was attacked and shot dead while traveling in the Pasir Putih area of Aradide District, Central Papua Province, Indonesia. The victim of the attack was Oktovianus Sogalrey, commander of the Koramil military district. According to Indonesian security forces, the attack was carried out by armed militants from the Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM) movement.
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- Oktovianus Sogalrey 1
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- Oktovianus Sogalrey 2
According to available information, Oktovianus Sogalrey left his unit’s base on a service motorcycle and did not return afterward. When he failed to make contact by the following day, his colleagues launched a search operation. His body was found in the area between Enarotali and Aradide with gunshot wounds. It was later transported for identification and further transfer.
After the attack, a video appeared online that was reportedly intended to show the ambush itself. The Indonesian military stated that the footage originated from the attackers’ side and showed the assault on a military officer while he was riding. According to local media, the authenticity of the video was confirmed by representatives of the military command in Papua.
Indonesian security forces identified the armed OPM group operating in the Paniai area as responsible for the attack. According to authorities, specific responsibility was linked to one of the movement’s factions, which has been conducting an armed conflict against the Indonesian government and security forces in the region.
The case became another incident in the long-running conflict in Papua, where separatist groups seeking independence for West Papua have been active for several decades. Armed clashes between these groups and the Indonesian military or police regularly result in casualties on both sides, as well as among civilians. The situation in the region remains complicated due to historical disputes, political issues, and continuing violence between separatists and the Indonesian state.
