By Papua Movement Editor
Indonesia’s military says it has now recovered both weapons that an armed group seized from marines in Maybrat regency, Southwest Papua, in March. Papua Movement reviewed the latest statement from the Habema Joint Operations Command (Koops TNI Habema) on the operation.
According to the statement, a joint team found a Daewoo K3 light machine gun on Saturday, 17 October 2026. A day earlier, the military announced it had recovered a Caracal assault rifle. Both weapons belonged to the 9th Marine Infantry Battalion.
The military says fighters from the Free Papua Movement (OPM) Sorong Raya regional command, led by Manfred Fatem, seized the two weapons on 22 March 2026. At that time, they attacked a marine post in the Sory area.
What the military says it found
The operation, named Badai Kasuari 3.12, involved three units, according to the military. They included the 9th Marine Infantry Battalion task force, a team from Kostrad’s 411th Infantry Battalion and a territorial task force from the 764th Infantry Battalion.
Besides the two military weapons, the statement lists a homemade firearm, 19 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition, three magazines, a weapon sight and other equipment. However, it does not say exactly where the team found these items or who had them.
Brigadier General Riyanto, the commander of Koops TNI Habema, praised the soldiers involved. “The two organic weapons seized by the Manfred Fatem group have finally all been recovered,” he said.
He also said every recovered weapon reduces the threat to civilians and security forces. “The TNI will remain firm against every armed threat, with actions that are selective, measured, professional and in accordance with the law,” he added. “However, for those who wish to leave violence behind, the path of peace remains open.”
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Claims Papua Movement could not verify
Papua Movement could not independently verify the military’s account. Moreover, the statement does not include comment from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the OPM’s armed wing. It also does not update the status of the people the military detained earlier in the operation, including Zakarias Fatem.
Access remains part of the problem. Press freedom groups say Indonesia restricts foreign journalists from reporting freely in Papua. As a result, independent checks on claims from either side remain difficult.
What happens next in Maybrat
Koops TNI Habema says the operation is part of its effort to keep Southwest Papua stable. According to the statement, security operations will continue alongside territorial and humanitarian approaches.
Papua has seen a low-level armed conflict since Indonesia took control of the region in the 1960s. Over the years, both attacks by armed groups and military operations have killed civilians and forced villagers to flee their homes. Under international humanitarian law, all parties to a conflict must protect non-combatants.
Editor’s view (opinion): If the military’s account holds up, the joint team deserves credit. According to the statement, it recovered both weapons without reporting any deaths or injuries. That matters, because every weapon taken out of the conflict lowers the risk to villagers, teachers and health workers in Maybrat. In addition, the commander’s message that “the path of peace remains open” is worth welcoming. The real test, however, is what comes next: treating every detainee according to the law and opening the region to independent observers.
Source: Papua Movement based this report on an official statement from the Information Office of Koops TNI Habema (October 2026).
