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lmost 400 officers from the National Police’s Mobile Brigade special operations unit have been dispatched to protect the railway system near Bandung and Cirebon, West Java, for Idul Fitri.

“Priority will be given to stations, railway tracks, passengers in line and cargo transportation,” West Java Mobile Brigade commander Sr. Comr. A. Rakhman said in Bandung, on Tuesday, after briefing officers at Kiaracondong train station.

The officers would be sent to 15 posts in state rail operator PT Kereta Api’s (KA) Operational Region II in Bandung and nine under Operational Region III in Cirebon, Rakhman said.

“Every post will have between 15 and 35 officers, depending on the level of the security threat.”

Among the areas marked for additional protection are the north sections of the Tanjungrasa-Pringkasap, Jatibarang-Cangkring and Mundu-Losari lines, both of which are prone to stone pelting and material theft.

Areas in the south earmarked for protection are landslide-prone sections of the Nagreg-Cibatu and Sukatani-Purwakarta lines and high-crime sections of the Rancaekek-Cicalengka and Banjar lines.

“Our personnel will continuously patrol by walking along the tracks on foot or on motorcycles,” Rakhman said.

He added that the Mobile Brigade officers would on duty from Aug. 23 to Sept. 7 and might be extended, depending on developments.

Hendy Hendratno Adji, head of KA’s Operational Region II, said deploying police officers was needed to provide security and ease passenger concerns.

Separately, East Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Hadiatmoko said 60 snipers would be deployed to hot spots along the Beji highway in Jenu, Tuban, and to Mantingan, Ngawi; Jl. Pandaan-Gempol in Pasuruan; Paiton, Probolinggo; and Jl. Baluran-Asembagus Situbondo, Babat.

Sharpshooters will also be deployed along toll roads with high crime rates, including the Dupak, East Perak, Demak, Darmo and Kenjeran toll roads.

“[Snipers] will refer to standard operating procedures in carrying out their tasks,” Hadiatmoko said in Surabaya, East Java, on Monday.

Meanwhile, the East Java health agency said additional medical personnel would be sent to community health centers (Puskesmas) and posts to help holiday travelers.