Joint team to step up efforts following extension of Operation Tinombala

From the Jak Pos, Jakarta, Fri, May 20 2016


Following the extension of Operation Tinombala, the joint team comprising police and military personnel will strengthen efforts to hunt down the remaining members of the Santoso-led terrorist group East Mujahidin Indonesia ( MIT ).

Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan has said that Santoso is in a group of five people, while the remaining members of his group have broken up into smaller groups as they continue to carry out guerilla warfare in the mountainous region of Central Sulawesi.

"The police and military troops are stepping up efforts to track down their location," Luhut said on Friday.

Luhut said good progress had been made in the operation, with troops arresting and shooting down members of the MIT nearly every week.

However, Luhut said, it was not easy to battle the militants, and that no one could ensure when the notorious terrorist Santoso aka Abu Wardah and his followers would be all captured.

It has been reported that the operation, which initially was set to end on May 8, has been extended three months.

National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti previously said that the MIT was down to 23 members following a shoot-out that resulted in the deaths of two terrorists in Mount Uwe Mayea, South Poso Pesisir, Central Sulawesi.



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