The National Police launched on Monday Operasi Lilin (Operation Candle), a security operation to guard against security threats and traffic problems that could disrupt Christmas and New Year'€™s Eve celebrations.

'€œOperation Candle is also aimed at anticipating terrorism threats because terror cells are still actively preparing attacks,'€ National Police chief Gen. Sutarman said as quoted by Antara news agency at an inspection ceremony in Jakarta on Monday.

For the operation, he said, 197,126 personnel, comprising 145,000 police officers with support from16,000 military personnel and 36,125 personnel from other institutions and society components, had been readied.

'€œThe joint personnel will be deployed at 2,152 security posts and 760 public care posts set up in various locations to ensure the smooth celebration of Christmas and New Year'€™s Eve in Indonesia,'€ said Sutarman said.

He said the inspection ceremony was a final check on the readiness of all security personnel and supporting facilities for Operation Candle. The police also wanted to check the cohesiveness of security elements to ensure security and public order ahead of and during Christmas and New Year'€™s Eve, he added.

'€œChristmas and New Year'€™s Eve are two critical moments at the end of every year because they are always followed by increases in security and public order dynamics. This needs comprehensive security measures and efforts by the National Police, with support from all components of society so that festivities can run safely and smoothly,'€ said Sutarman.

He said the celebrations were predicted to trigger increases in mobility and intensified activities, especially at houses of worship, main roads, malls and entertainment sites. (ebf)(++++)