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gunfight between an armed group and a joint military and police force occurred in Ratungkaya village, Tangkura subdistrict, South Coastal Poso district, in Poso regency, Central Sulawesi, on Monday.

No fatalities were reported in the incident, which happened at about 9.:0 a.m. local time, but members of the group '€” which was thought to number about four '€” escaped.

Central Sulawesi Police spokesperson Adj. Sr. Comr. Hari Suprapto said the gunfight took place in a field after local residents reported hearing gunshots at the site.

They reported the gunshots to the joint military-police force in Tangkura subdistrict.

'€œAfter receiving the report, the personnel headed to the location and were intercepted by an armed civilian group, leading to the firefight,'€ Hari said.

According to Hari, the gun battle lasted for about 30 minutes before the assailants fled.

Hari added that the joint military-police force was in pursuit of the armed group. The police'€™s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) had also been deployed in the hunt.

On Friday, Military Regional Command (Kodam) VII/Wirabuana commander Maj. Gen. Bachtiar said the military was ready to help fight terrorism in Poso if required.

Bactiar said the Indonesian Military (TNI) was coordinating with local police and administrations to help provide security in Poso.

'€œWe are helping to maintain security for the better,'€ he said.

He also suggested that in maintaining security in Poso, the community should be involved through the siskamling (neighborhood watch).

'€œIf the community is empowered, I am sure that terrorism in Poso can be soon brought to an end,'€ he said.

Central Sulawesi Governor Longki Djanggola previously requested the TNI to get involved in the fight against terrorism in Poso, arguing that terror groups had claimed many victims and caused unrest in the community.

Longki has also met Vice President Jusuf Kalla to discuss the matter.

Over the last two months, four civilians have been killed by a terrorist group in Poso, with four others reportedly missing.

The authorities have called on local residents in regions where the manhunt is being conducted to be cautious, especially while they are working in fields or hunting for animals in the woods.

Poso witnessed sectarian conflict between 1998 and 2000. Over 2,000 people were reportedly killed or went missing in the conflict.

A peace agreement known as the Malino Declaration ended the conflict in 2001.

No large-scale conflict has since been reported in the region, but new, radical groups emerged there, including the Abu Bakar Ba'€™asyir-led Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) and Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT).

In Poso, JAT built a camp in Gunung Biru, Tamanjeka, where it established an Islamic boarding school named Darul Ansharut Tauhid.

The group left the site after the police began hunting JAT members in the area.

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno has said the intelligence services have detected the growth of the Islamic State (IS) organization in Poso, especially in the area'€™s mountainous district, which has long been believed to be a terrorist hotbed.

Tedjo said 110 foreigners identified as IS members were in the area.

• Gunfight lasts 30 minutes before armed civilian group flees, no casualties reported
• Joint military, police force, including Brimob, in pursuit of armed group
• Poso sees 4 civilians killed in last 2 months by terror group