Indonesian forces rescue 75 workers after deadly Papua gold mine attack

2026-02-22 - 16:42

Indonesian authorities have successfully evacuated 75 workers from a remote gold mining site in the volatile Central Papua province following a deadly attack by an armed separatist group. The evacuation operation, which continued through Sunday, came after militants from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), known locally as KKB, launched an assault on the site on Saturday, resulting in two fatalities. Chinese Nationals Among Those Rescued According to reports from Indonesia's Antara News Agency, the group of evacuees includes 26 Chinese nationals who were working at the mine. Samuel Tatiratu, adjunct senior commissioner to the Nabire police chief, confirmed that the workers were transported along the Musairo River as part of the rescue mission. Authorities are still working to identify one of the deceased victims, he added. Pattern of Violence in Restive Region Saturday's attack on the mining operation is the latest in a series of violent incidents perpetrated by separatist groups in Indonesia's easternmost region. Earlier this month, KKB militants shot down a small aircraft, killing both the pilot and co-pilot. The group has been engaged in a decades-long insurgency, frequently targeting security forces, infrastructure projects, and civilians in an effort to assert independence in the resource-rich but impoverished region. The ongoing conflict continues to pose significant security challenges for both Indonesian authorities and foreign workers employed in local industries.