Personnel of the joint Indonesian Military (TNI) and Police operation on capturing a notorious Poso-based terrorist group, lead by wanted terrorist Santoso, aka Abu Wardah, have mapped the suspected location of the group, inside Poso forests in Central Sulawesi. The group are down in numbers and cornered, a top police official said.

The troops hunting Santoso's East Indonesia Mujahidin group intensified its search for the group's hideout in Poso forests as they are believed to be behind several attacks against security officers, Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi said on Saturday.

Under Operation Tinombala, the joint personnel focused their search in Poso's Napu Valley, around three hours from the provincial capital, Palu. Previously the officers had searched Torire Mountain in Lore Peore subdistrict and Talabose Mountain in Central Lore subdistrict.

The search area had been expanded to the Wuasa and Sedoa Mountains in North Lore subdistrict, Rudy said.

The expansion was made as officers suspected that Santoso's group had dispersed.

"We received information that Santoso has been in the Wuasa forest, where our troops went after the group in that area. Then, we received an order to block them in the Sedoa forest," a TNI soldier from the Raider Infantry Battalion told thejakartapost.com on location.

The troops must cross the Sopu river, which has a strong current, to enter the forests on Sedoa Mountain. They would also need to pass people's farms before finally entering the woods at the determined coordinates on foot for two days and two nights.

"We get logistical supplies every 10 days," said the soldier, who asked to remain anonymous.

Operation Tinombala targeting Santoso had entered its third month after being launched in early January to apprehend the terrorist fugitive. Around 3,000 joint personnel from the TNI and police are involved in the operation.

The operation was initially planned for two months until March but had been extended for six months by the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister, Luhut Pandjaitan, after considering the operation's difficulties in the field to capturing the group.

Moreover, Rudy also said that the group's numbers, believed initially to have had numbered 45 members, was now down to roughly 30 after the officers had killed and arrested several of the group's members.

Those who had died included Agus Surianto, aka Farhan, and Fahrudin, aka Udin, Santoso's couriers, after a deadly shootout with security officers in Sanginora village, South Poso Pesisir, on Feb. 14. Another member Dodo, aka Fonda Amar Solihin, died in a shootout on Feb. 28.

Moreover, from six Chinese Uighur nationals who had joined the militant group, four had died; Faruk, aka Magalasi Bahtusan, Nuretin, aka Abdul, Joko Uigur, aka Turang Ismail, and Sobron, aka Son Haji. Two others, Kohar, aka Malik, and Abdul, are still on the run.

Security officers had also arrested two members alive, Zaenal Effendi and Saad, during the operation. (rin)

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