Police and military personnel arrested dozens of residents of Tambrauw, in the province of Papua Barat Daya, on 18 March 2026. During the arrests, these residents were subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, and that the arrests were carried out without a warrant.

The arrest of these residents took place following an attack on four healthcare workers by unknown assailants, in which two of them died on 16 March. Security forces raided a number of villages, entering residents’ homes and forcibly dragging the occupants out. During the operation, police fired their weapons, causing panic among the residents and prompting them to flee.

On 20 March 2026, eight people were released. Three days later, four more were released. As of 25 March 2026, a total of 14 people had been released, whilst one had been named as a suspect