The Mapenduma hostage crisis began Process_start on 8 January 1996 after the Free Papua Movement ( ( OPM ) ) took Conquering 26 members of a World Wildlife Fund research Research mission captive at Mapenduma , Jayawijaya in Irian Jaya ( now Papua Province ) , Indonesia .

The International Committee of the Red Cross acted as an intermediary between the OPM and the Indonesian authorities .

Fifteen hostages , all of Indonesian nationality , were released Releasing relatively quickly , but eleven ( comprising Cause_to_be_included four Britons , two Dutch , and five Indonesians ) remained Presence in OPM hands .

However , the OPM leader , Kelly Kwalik , backed out of the agreement on the day of the intended release .

A small observation Perception_active force was left behind and , after this confirmed Check the OPM and their hostages Kidnapping had returned Arriving to the site on 15 May , a second assault was made Manufacturing .

Eight OPM fighters were killed Killing and two captured Conquering versus no loss Earnings_and_losses on the Indonesian side , save Rescuing for the helicopter crash Catastrophe .

There was some international controversy over the use Using of an unmarked civilian helicopter by the Indonesian forces , which may have misled the OPM .