Jayapura. A brutal attack by an armed group in Papua has left a female teacher dead and six others injured in the remote Yahukimo Regency, authorities confirmed on Sunday.

The assault occurred on Friday in Anggruk District, but it took until Sunday for a joint police and military team to reach the scene and evacuate victims and civilians due to challenging terrain and limited access.

“All injured victims are currently being treated at Marthen Indey Hospital,” Yahukimo Regent Didimus Yahuli told the Antara news agency.

The identities of the victims have not yet been released.

Didimus strongly condemned the attack, particularly because it targeted civilian workers, including teachers deployed to educate children in the district.

“I call on all relevant parties to strengthen security measures to protect teachers and medical personnel in Anggruk and across all districts in Yahukimo,” he said.
“We must ensure the safety of those working in remote villages so that our residents can access education and proper healthcare services.”

Yahukimo Police Chief Adjunct Chief Commissioner Heru Hidayanto said the area where the attack took place has no police or military outpost, leaving it vulnerable to such incidents.

According to Heru, the assailants stormed a residence used by contract teachers and set the building on fire.

The teachers had been recruited from surrounding districts, including Prongkoli, Helirik Walma, Panggema, and Kosarek, to support education in remote areas of Yahukimo.

“These teachers were sent to help children in Yahukimo. It’s heartbreaking that they became victims of such senseless violence,” Heru said.

Efforts to evacuate the victims using two small aircraft on Saturday were thwarted by bad weather, and no commercial airline was willing to fly to the area, he added.

The Papua region has seen sporadic attacks by armed groups linked to the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) which often targeted construction workers, teachers, and medical workers in recent years. No group has claimed responsibility for Friday's attack.