Speaking to reporters on Sunday, TNI spokesperson Rear Adm. Julius Widjojono said First Pvt. Miftahul Arifin had died during a shootout on Saturday with the rebel group in Nduga regency’s Mugi-Mam area. Miftahul was part of a group of soldiers scouring the remote, hilly area for the abducted pilot when gunmen opened fire. 

According to Julius, Miftahul was shot after he fell into a 15-meter ravine, as other soldiers, who were trying to evacuate Miftahul, were reportedly stuck in the field and bombarded with bullets. 

“As of now, the information we received is that there has been one [casualty],” Julius said. “The conditions of other soldiers [in Miftahul’s squadron] are not yet known, since we are having difficulties reaching out to them due to bad weather.” 

Miftahul’s group was in Mugi-Mam during a scouting mission as part of the TNI’s search and rescue team, code-named Peaceful Carstensz, for New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens, who was taken hostage by the West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB) following a routine flight to Nduga in February. 

The TNI did not mention it was the TPNPB who ambushed the soldiers on Saturday, but the TPNPB claimed responsibility for the attack. 

In the near future, Julius said, TNI commander Adm. Yudo Margono would personally conduct a “very thorough evaluation” of the pilot rescue operation, in light of the increasing number of casualties.