Overview

• Thirteen people, including nine civilians and four military personnel, were killed in a blast during the disposal of expired ammunition in West Java on May 12, 2025.
• The explosion occurred as military officers were completing the controlled detonation of unstable munitions in a designated disposal field.
• Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the blast and to address how civilians were able to access the restricted detonation area.
• Local residents are known to gather near disposal sites to collect scrap materials, heightening risks during such operations.
• This is the second major incident involving expired Indonesian military ammunition in just over a year, following a March 2024 depot fire and explosion near Jakarta.