Mark Dodd, Dili – Australian soldiers have taken control of two towns in militia heartland along East Timor's volatile border with Indonesian West Timor, in their biggest operation since landing in the territory 12 days ago.
Yesterday's raids brought an immediate threat from militia commander Joao da Silva Tavares to lead 12,000 of his fighters back into East Timor on Monday to occupy six western districts – including areas secured yesterday by the Australian troops.
Dubbed Operation Lavarack, the Australians' land, sea and air assault along the western border began shortly after 6am. It involved soldiers from the second battalion Royal Australian Regiment, who were landed by Australian Army Blackhawk helicopters, RAN landing craft and supported by light armoured vehicles.
Mr da Silva Tavares responded: "The Interfet forces do not have the right to drive me from the land of my birth. If Interfet dares to attack me, we will immediately wipe them out." However, Interfet headquarters spokesman Colonel Mark Kelly said the operation had met no resistance so far and by midday yesterday there had been no sightings of pro-Jakarta militia.
"There have been reports of a lot of militia activity in all the western regions," Colonel Kelly said. "This is our first big move into those areas. The battalions deploying as part of Operation Lavarack will be there for weeks. Obviously our intent is to provide security to the people of East Timor."
More than 250 soldiers have been landed out of a total force of 1,000 troops in the operation. They have secured Balibo and occupied the border town of Batugade, about 100 kilometres west of Dili.
Colonel Kelly said his soldiers were under strict orders not to cross the border into Indonesian West Timor, an ill-defined frontier that lies only metres from the crumbling ruins of the old seafront Portuguese fort at Batugade.
Nervous Indonesian Army commanders had earlier warned of possible reprisals if troops crossed into West Timor. The commander of the Australian force, Major-General Peter Cosgrove, has stressed repeatedly his troops will confine military operations to East Timor. Mr da Silva Tavares's threat of counter-raids is believed to involve pro-Indonesia militia now based at Atambua, just over the border in West Timor. The town is home to tens of thousands of refugees, and the militia have been accused of intimidation and hampering efforts to get aid to them.
The latest operation follows criticism by some aid groups and journalists that Interfet troops were proceeding too cautiously in fanning out into East Timor's rural areas. However, General Cosgrove has been quick to deny the charge. A statement by Interfet headquarters yesterday said the aim of Operation Lavarack was to restore peace and security in the western areas of East Timor to support humanitarian operations. On Thursday, the British Gurkhas became the first Interfet soldiers to fire shots – to dispel a group of militia holding about 2,000 unarmed civilians hostage in far eastern Com.
Exiled resistance leaders Xanana Gusmao and Jose Ramos-Horta have told The Washington Post they plan to notify Indonesian authorities of their intention to return to East Timor on October 15.