Police To Extend Tinombala Operation

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The police is likely to extend the current Tinombala operation to arrest Santoso, the leader of a militant group in Poso, Central Sulawesi, National Police Spokesman, Brigadier General Boy Rafli Amar said here on Thursday.

He said in a meeting with media persons that the joint military-police operation, which is scheduled to end on May 8, is yet to be evaluated before a decision is made.

"Further operational planning will be made later," he said.

Rafli Amar said efforts to hunt Satoso and members of his group would continue until the operation concludes.

He said Santoso and his men had been given time to surrender following indications that they have been divided and were no longer solid after being pressured further.

Police have also conducted an approach to the group through local religious figures, he said.

The chief of the Tinombala Operation task force, Senior Commissioner Leo Bona Lubis, said on Tuesday that the number of the group members led by Santoso alias Abu Wardah has dropped to only 25 and one of them is from Uyghur, China.

According to Commissioner General Tito Karnavian, chief of the National Counter-terrorism Agency, 11 Uyghurs from the Chinese province of Xinjiang had reportedly entered Indonesia to join the group.

"Five of them have been killed, while five others were arrested, and another one is still with the terrorist group led by Santoso," he noted.

On April 24, the Tinombala Operation Task Force had shot death a member of the East Indonesia Mujahidin group led by Santoso alias Abu Wardah in Poso, Central Sulawesi.

The victim identified by the initials MF was found to be a foreigner from Uyghur, China. MF was killed after he attacked a member of the task force with a machete.(WDY)