"The body is currently at the Bhayangkara Hospital in Palu, it has a mole near the right eye," South Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi said on Wednesday during a press conference at the National Police headquarters in Jakarta. 

Rudy said the body was found by residents when the task force was conducting a search in the area. The body was almost completely buried, with only the feet protruding, he added. 

According to the most wanted list, continued Rudy, there was only one group member with the same characteristics. The suspected identity of the body is Aco, also known as Sucipto or Ubay, who is from Malino in Central Sulawesi. 

However, the body was badly decomposed and almost unrecognizable, Rudy said, adding that there would also be a DNA test to confirm the identity. 

"We will check the DNA with that of his family. We hope they'll come to Palu and we will check again," he said. 

Separately, it was reported that two of the Santoso-led terrorist group members had died during a shoot-out with task force personnel on May 15. 

Following the removal of the bodies two days later, they were identified as Firman, alias Ikrima, from Malino and Yazid, alias Taufik, from Java.

However, DNA tests will also be conducted on those bodies. 

MIT members reportedly opened fire during the process of removing the two bodies, which Rudy suspected had been part of the terrorist group's plan.

"When their friends are shot, they will wait until our guard is down. Fortunately, our personnel had been ready and anticipated another shoot-out," said Rudy. 

With the discovery of the three bodies, Rudy said the remaining members of the MIT group had been reduced to 22. 

The police have called on the remaining group members to surrender. (liz/afr/dan)

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