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Operation Tinombala should continue: Army chief
The Indonesian Army says the joint police-military security operation in Poso, Central Sulawesi, named Operation Tinombala, should continue despite calls for the remaining members of the East Indonesia Mujahiddin (MIT) militant group to surrender.
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Operation Tinombala commander Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi holds up a photograph of Juhri, alias Tamar, a member of the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) terror group who surrendered to security personnel last Friday.
(The Jakarta Post/Ruslan Sangadji)
T
he Indonesian Army says the joint police-military security operation in Poso, Central Sulawesi, named Operation Tinombala, should continue despite calls for the remaining members of the East Indonesia Mujahiddin (MIT) militant group to surrender.
"Calling for [MIT members] to surrender does not mean we have to stop the operation. We also conduct territorial operations there, which serve as a soft approach [to end guerilla warfare]," Army chief of staff Gen. Mulyono said on Wednesday.
The territorial operations in Poso, which began following the death of MIT leader Santoso in July, aim to unify local residents hit by prolonged conflict in the Central Sulawesi region, including through fostering development in the area.
(Read also : E.Kalimantan dispatches Brimob personnel to Poso)
The Army's position is contrary to that held by rights activists grouped together in a counterterrorism evaluation group called Team 13. The team earlier urged security officials to uphold a sense of humanity in persuading the militants to surrender without the exchange of gun fire.
Following a visit to evaluate the counterterrorism operation in Poso, Team 13 member Busyro Muqqodas said the group had decided to cooperate with the National Police and the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), adding that Team 13 would persuade the remaining MIT members to surrender without using violence. (bbn)
