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. 

He added that Yudo had ordered for more assistance to be sent to the area but promised that security forces were looking to keep casualties at a minimum. 

“The weather has been the most difficult aspect in this operation. [But] the pilot’s location is now known, as the operation is becoming narrower and more focused,” Julius added. 

Despite there being little to show for in the two months since Mehrtens was captured, authorities have said it will continue to prioritize a persuasive approach. 

Yudo said last week that an open conflict with the TPNPB could instead get Mehrtens killed, and that he did not want the TNI to be blamed for his death. 

Conflicting casualties 

While the TNI said that only one soldier was killed on Saturday, the TPNPB claimed that they had killed 13 soldiers. 

“[Aside from Miftahul], there are still the remains of 12 other TNI soldiers in Mugi-Mam,” TPNPB spokesman Sebby Sambom told The Jakarta Post on Sunday, adding that the group, under the command of its leader Egianus Kogoya, had also seized their weapons during Saturday’s shootout in Nduga. 

In an earlier statement, Sebby said the group launched the attack as an act of “retaliation” against the TNI’s “massive military operation,” which had resulted in the death of two TPNPB members during an attack on March 23. 

“We have asked for peaceful negotiations with the Indonesian and New Zealand governments. But it has been two months and the New Zealand and Indonesian governments have yet to respond to our request,” Sebby said. 

The TPNPB initially said they would only release Mehrtens in return for the Indonesian government's recognition of Papua's independence and the withdrawal of all Indonesian troops from Papua. But Sebby said earlier this month that the group was ready to drop the independence demand and was instead pushing for dialogue, as reported by Reuters. 

Rising tensions 

Despite both sides claiming to prioritize a peaceful approach for the release of Mehrtens, skirmishes are becoming increasingly common in the region, as the death toll also continues to rise. 

Last week, a TNI soldier, First Sgt. Robertus Simbolon, was killed during a shootout with a separatist group in Intan Jaya regency, Central Papua. 

Robertus was the fifth security forces casualty this year, adding to the three other TNI personnel and one police officer who were killed in shootouts in Papua Highlands and Central Papua provinces.