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Operation Tinombala has no set end date, says security minister
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Several members of the police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) load a vehicle headed to Sedoa village, North Lore subdistrict in Poso, Central Sulawesi, on March. 24. The police personnel are part of the joint Operation Tinombala, which aims to capture Indonesian most-wanted terrorist Santoso and members of his East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) group. (Antara/Edy)
D
espite declaring small victories in its hunt for most-wanted terrorist Santoso aka Abu Wardah and members of his East Mujahidin (MIT) group, the government does not have a set end date for Operation Tinombala.
"No one knows how long the operation will run. We are going to keep hunting," said Coordinating Legal, Political and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, as quoted by tempo.co.
Since the start of the operation in January, MIT is down to 29 members, from 41, security officials have said, adding that they have separated into three small guerilla groups. The three groups have been detected in the Poso and Napu area, however, it is never easy to fight guerilla style, Luhut added.
About 3,000 Indonesian Military (TNI) and police personnel have been deployed in the manhunt for Santoso and his terrorist group, which are believed to have been behind several attacks on security officers in the Poso area. The operation is an extension of 2015’s Operation Camar Maleo Operation.
The troops have shot dead a number of MIT members, including Chinese Uighurs, as well as cut its logistics supplies from Poso city.
However, Luhut asserted that the government’s work would not be done with the capture of Santoso as the lives of residents in Poso needed to be restored. (afr/bbn)
