10 Years Of Being Hunted, Deputy Commander Of OPM Mayer Wenda Dies In Contact At Lanny Jaya

Deputy Commander of Kodap XII/Lanny Jaya Mayer Wenda alias Kuloi Wonda (ANTARA/Ho-Puspen TNI Headquarters)

JAKARTA TNI soldiers managed to paralyze one of the leaders of the Free Papua Organization (OPM), Mayer Wenda alias Kuloi Wonda, in a gun battle in Mukoni Village, Mukoni District, Lanny Jaya Regency, Papua Mountains, Tuesday, August 5, 2025.

Mayer Wenda, who served as Deputy Commander of Kodap XII/Lanny Jaya, was killed when he was about to be arrested by TNI troops.

The arrest process was marked by resistance from Wenda, so the shootout was unavoidable. Apart from Mayer Wenda, another person suspected of being his younger brother also died in the incident.

Head of the TNI Headquarters Information Center, Major General TNI Kristomei Sianturi explained, Wenda is a fugitive who has long been on the TNI's People's Wanted List (DPO) since 2014.

He is said to have a track record of involvement in various acts of armed violence in Papua.

"He was involved in the 2012 Pirime Police Headquarters attack, the murder of a member of the National Police in Tolikara in the same year, as well as acts of ambush and shooting of security forces in the Lanny Jaya area in 2014," Kristomei said in an official press release received from TNI Headquarters, Antara, Thursday, August 7.

Kristomei emphasized that taking action against armed groups like this was part of the TNI's efforts to maintain public security and defend the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

"This success proves that every action of TNI soldiers in dealing with armed groups is carried out professionally, measurably, and based on statutory regulations," he said.