YAHUKIMO — Gunmen launched a deadly assault along the Trans-Papua Highway in Seradala District, Yahukimo Regency, Highland Papua. The violent incident on Monday, July 20, 2026, claimed the lives of three Indigenous Papuan civilians. In this brutal ambush, West Papua separatists shoot couple Kumis Kogoya and his wife, both belonging to the Unaukam tribe, while authorities work to confirm the full details of a third female victim.
Security forces strongly suspect the West Papua Separatists faction under Kopi Heluka carried out the attack. Sebby Sambom, speaking for the West Papua Separatists central headquarters, confirmed that West Papua separatists shoot couple and a third civilian, explicitly claiming responsibility for all three fatalities.
Troops Retrieve Slain Pair Amid Treacherous River Conditions
Personnel from the Habema Joint Operations Command immediately coordinated with local police to investigate the scene, secure the area, and track the perpetrators. Tactical teams successfully retrieved the bodies of the husband and wife on Thursday, July 23, 2026.
Yahukimo Police Chief Superintendent Zet Saalino confirmed that emergency responders transported both deceased spouses to the regional hospital for official identification and family handover.
“The couple’s remains are currently at Dekai Regional Hospital, and we have handed them over to their family for burial,” Saalino stated on Friday, July 24, 2026.
Saalino emphasized that harsh environmental conditions severely slowed down recovery efforts. “Strong currents in the Brazza River made access extremely difficult, as our teams must cross these dangerous waters to reach the crime scene,” he explained, noting that West Papua separatists shoot couple in a highly isolated area.
Security Forces Hunt Insurgents and Search for Third Victim
Joint military and police units continue searching the surrounding forest to recover the missing female victim. Security officers suspect that West Papua separatists shoot couple and their companion as part of a broader push to intimidate local communities.
Commanders from the Habema Operations Command maintain relentless pressure on Kopi Heluka’s insurgent group to bring every responsible gunman to justice.
