Palu – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has deployed 100 personnel from two elite forces to support a police-run operation to hunt for members of a terrorist group in Poso regency, North Sulawesi.
The Camar Maleo III operation, which began on Sept. 14, has previously involved more than 900 personnel from the National Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob). The operation is targeting a group headed by the militant leader Santoso that has been operating in the region over the past four years.
To support the operation, 60 personnel from the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) and 40 personnel from the Army's Strategic Command's Combat Reconnaissance Platoons (Tontaipur) arrived at Poso on Friday to join the current combined forces.
"The soldiers will support the operation for 19 days, starting from Sept. 25," Wirabuana Military Command VII chief Maj. Gen. Bachtiar said, adding that the soldiers had been assigned to limit the movement of the terrorist group.