Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta.  An armed criminal group (KKB) fired shots near Sugapa Airport in Intan Jaya, Central Papua, on Wednesday, in what police describe as an attempt to disrupt regional security.

“The shots were clearly meant to destabilize the area,” said Brigadier General Faizal Rahmadani, the Head of the Damai Cartenz Task Force, on Thursday (24/7/2025), as quoted by antaranews.com.

Security forces from the joint Damai Cartenz Task Force, local police, and the Indonesian Military’s elite Kopasgat unit immediately secured the area and chased the suspects. 

The shots, which were fired from the airport’s disused old terminal, caused no casualties or material damage. Two suspected KKB members fled into the forest near Wabu River, carrying pistols.

Authorities believe the attack was retaliation for the death of Enos Tipagau, a KKB leader killed during a 5 July 2025 law enforcement operation. Officials also suspect it aimed to disrupt the lead-up to Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day celebrations in the region.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)