The waiting room at Bandara Nop Goliat Dekai was already crowded on the morning of Sunday, May 18.
Passengers sat near the boarding area holding bags and cardboard boxes, while airport staff continued routine announcements for flights serving remote highland regions in Papua. Nothing appeared unusual at first glance.
Then several plainclothes officers quietly approached a man seated inside the terminal.
Within moments, security personnel moved quickly and detained him without firing a shot.
The man was later identified by Indonesian authorities as Yuki Bahabol, also known by the initials YB, whom police described as the deputy battalion commander of HSSBI Kodap XVI Yahukimo, a faction linked to the armed separatist network the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) the Free Papua Movement (OPM) operating in Papua Pegunungan (Papua Highlands) Province.
Two days later, on May 20, the Cartenz Peace Task Force publicly confirmed the arrest and released details of the operation.
According to police, officers confiscated multiple types of ammunition, weapon components, communication equipment, and bladed weapons during the arrest at Dekai Airport.
“The suspect was secured together with evidence related to armed criminal activity,” Cartenz Task Force officials said during a press briefing, as quoted by on Tuesday, 20.
Indonesian security authorities viewed the operation as a significant breakthrough in a region that has repeatedly experienced armed disturbances over recent years.
Arrest Happened Inside Dekai Airport Waiting Room
Security Personnel Moved Quietly on May 18
According to official police statements released on May 20, the arrest operation was conducted on Sunday morning, May 18, inside the airport waiting room at Nop Goliat Dekai Airport in Yahukimo Regency.
Investigators said officers had monitored the suspect before finally moving in and securing him inside the terminal area.
The operation reportedly took place without resistance or public confrontation, something authorities later described as important given the number of civilians present at the airport.
Several passengers inside the terminal initially appeared confused about what had happened before officers escorted the suspect away for questioning.
Police later identified the man as Yuki Bahabol, whom authorities believe held a senior operational position inside the HSSBI Kodap XVI Yahukimo armed group.
Yahukimo Remains One of Papua’s Most Sensitive Regions
Yahukimo Regency has long been considered one of the most security-vulnerable regions in Papua Pegunungan Province.
The mountainous district has experienced repeated incidents involving armed separatist groups, including attacks targeting civilians, transportation routes, and security personnel.
Because access to many areas remains difficult, security operations there often depend heavily on intelligence coordination and aviation access.
The arrest at Dekai Airport therefore immediately attracted national attention, particularly because authorities claimed the suspect occupied a relatively senior role inside the armed network.
Ammunition and Weapon Components Seized
Police Confiscated Several Types of Ammunition
During the operation, Cartenz officers confiscated multiple categories of ammunition from the suspect.
According to statements quoted by local media on May 20, the evidence included 5.56 millimeter ammunitions, 9 millimeter ammunitions, 38-millimeter ammunitions, bullet casings, bayonets, machetes, axes, iron slingshots, camouflage-patterned air rifles, and a number of components such as triggers, iron triggers, hand grips, and communication equipment.
Investigators said the ammunition would undergo further forensic examination as part of efforts to trace potential links with previous armed incidents in Yahukimo and surrounding districts.
Photos released after the arrest showed dozens of rounds of ammunition displayed alongside other confiscated evidence.
Officers Also Found Bladed Weapons and Firearm Parts
Beyond ammunition, officers also seized multiple weapons and firearm-related components.
According to police evidence records presented during the May 20 briefing, confiscated items included a bayonet, knives, machetes, an axe, an iron slingshot, and a camouflage-patterned air rifle.
Investigators additionally secured several firearm components, including triggers, iron firing mechanisms, and hand grips.
Authorities also confiscated communication equipment allegedly linked to operational coordination activities.
Police have not yet publicly explained whether the communication devices contained operational data connected to other armed members in Yahukimo.
However, investigators acknowledged the materials were now part of an ongoing intelligence examination.
Cartenz Task Force Calls Operation Significant.
Authorities Say Arrest Supports Security Stability
During the May 20 press briefing, Cartenz Peace Task Force officials described the operation as part of broader efforts to reduce armed violence in Papua Pegunungan.
“This action is part of our commitment to maintaining security stability in Papua,” task force representatives said.
Officials emphasized that operations targeting armed groups remain focused on protecting civilians and reducing threats in conflict-prone regions.
Police also stressed that the arrest demonstrated increasing coordination between intelligence monitoring units and operational teams working in Papua.
Investigators Continue Developing the Case
Authorities indicated the investigation remains ongoing.
Police are now examining whether Yuki Bahabol had logistical or operational connections with other armed factions operating across Papua Pegunungan Province.
Investigators are also tracing the origins of the confiscated ammunition and firearm components.
As of Tuesday evening, May 20, police had not announced additional arrests connected to the operation.
However, officials acknowledged the case could continue expanding depending on evidence uncovered during interrogation and forensic analysis.
Armed Violence Continues Affecting Papua Pegunungan
Conflict Still Disrupts Daily Life
The arrest once again highlighted how armed conflict continues affecting several remote regions across Papua.
In districts such as Yahukimo, Nduga, and Pegunungan Bintang, recurring violence has repeatedly disrupted transportation access, education activities, healthcare services, and economic movement.
Aviation infrastructure remains critical in mountainous areas with limited road access, leading to heightened security measures for flights connecting isolated communities.
Several attacks involving separatist groups over recent years have also targeted pilots, construction workers, teachers, and civilians.
That reality partly explains why security operations in airports and transportation hubs remain highly sensitive.
Government Combines Security and Development Approaches
Indonesian authorities increasingly frame Papua policy through two parallel approaches: security stabilization and welfare development.
Alongside operations conducted by the Cartenz Peace Task Force, the government continues expanding road construction, telecommunications infrastructure, healthcare access, and education programs across Papua.
Officials argue long-term stability depends not only on law enforcement but also on reducing isolation and improving economic opportunities in remote communities.
At the same time, authorities maintain that armed activity involving illegal weapons remains subject to criminal law enforcement.
Local Residents React Carefully
Airport Operation Avoided Civilian Panic
Several local residents in Dekai later expressed relief that the arrest operation did not escalate into violence inside the airport.
Because airports in Papua often serve as crowded lifelines connecting remote districts, any confrontation inside terminal areas could have created serious panic among passengers.
One airport worker interviewed by local media said many people initially did not realize the man being detained was connected to an armed separatist group.
“The officers handled it quickly,” the worker reportedly said. “People only realized the connection later, after the news spread.”
Security Presence Expected to Continue
Following the arrest, security presence around several public facilities in Dekai reportedly increased temporarily.
Authorities said the measures were preventive and intended to ensure stability following the operation.
Police also urged the public not to spread unverified information online related to the arrest and investigation.
Conclusion
The arrest of Yuki Bahabol at Dekai Airport on May 18 marked another important operation carried out by Indonesia’s Cartenz Peace Task Force in Papua Pegunungan Province.
According to police, the seizure of ammunition, weapon components, communication devices, and bladed weapons reflected continuing security concerns involving armed separatist groups operating in Yahukimo.
For residents in Papua’s mountainous regions, the operation also served as another reminder of how closely daily life remains tied to the region’s fragile security situation.
Indonesian authorities say investigations connected to the case are still ongoing.
But beyond the immediate law enforcement response, the broader challenge facing Papua remains far more complex: how to create long-term stability in regions where security tensions, geographic isolation, and development gaps continue intersecting every day.
