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The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) has put five leaders heading separatist terrorist groups operating in Papua and West Papua on its most-wanted list.

The agency will track down the leaders, in accordance with Indonesia's Law No.5/2018 on Terrorism, BNPT chief Coms.Gen.Boy Rafli Amar said here on Thursday.

Speaking at a hearing session with members of the House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal affairs, he said the agency will solely focus on the names on the most-wanted list.

Counterterrorism operations against those commanding the armed separatist terrorist groups will not target all Papuan communities, Amar said.

"Instead, the targets are only those from the armed groups that have been identified to get committed acts of violence," he added.

The five men who have been put on the BNPT's most-wanted list are — Lekagak Telenggen, Egianus Kogoya, Militer Murib, Germanius Elobo, and Sabinus Waker, Amar disclosed.

Lekagak Telenggen is the head of the so-called Papua National Liberation Army (TPN-OPM), which is known to operate in Yambi, Gome, Sinak, and Ilaga areas of Puncak district, he said.

The Lekagak Telenggen-led group is estimated to have 50 personnel.

Egianus Kogoya is the leader of the Ndugama TPN-OPM operating in Nduga district. His group also has 50 men, Amar said.

Militer Murib is the head of the 20-member TPM/OPM operating in Puncak district, while Germanius Elobo is the chief of the 30-member Kali Kopi group.

"The fifth target has been identified as Sabinus Waker. He leads the Intan Jaya group, which has 50 members and armed with 17 firearms," Amar told legislators.

The Indonesian government officially declared armed Papuan groups, also called "KKB", as "terrorists" on April 29, 2021 owing to their acts of terror and crimes against civilians.

Over the course of the last few years, armed Papuan groups have employed hit-and-run tactics against Indonesian security personnel and mounted acts of terror against civilians in the districts of Intan Jaya, Nduga, and Puncak to stoke fear among the people.

The recent targets of the armed groups have included construction workers, motorcycle taxi (ojek) drivers, teachers, students, street food vendors, and even civilian aircraft.

On April 25, 2021, Papuan separatists operating in Beoga ambushed State Intelligence Agency (Papua) chief, Maj. Gen. I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha, and several security personnel while they were visiting Dambet village.

Following Nugraha's fatal shooting, President Joko Widodo ordered the TNI and National Police to track down and arrest all members of armed separatist and terrorist groups operating in Papua, stressing that there is no place for them within Indonesian territory. (Antaranews)