Palu, Central Sulawesi (Antara Bali) - Police confirmed here on Monday that another member of the Santoso-led terrorist group has been killed in Poso, Central Sulawesi.
The Chief of the Central Sulawesi Regional Police Command, Brigadier General Rudi Sufahriadi, said the man who was killed was known as Aji Pandu Sutomo alias Sobron, and had been on the polices wanted list for a long time.
"He was shot by the Tinombala Operation team at 8.30am on Monday (Sept 19) in the Tombua plantation area in the village of Tangkura, Poso Pesisir Selatan, Poso district," he added.
The team recovered four bombs, detonators, two daggers, a bag pack and a sleeping bag from the site of the operation.
Sobron was in the gang of Basri, his wife, and Andika, but when the team arrested Basri recently, he managed to flee, Brigadier General Rudi Sufahriadi informed, adding that he had been spreading terror in Poso like Santoso.
Sobrons body was evacuated to the Gantinadi hamlet before it was taken to Poso Pesisir Utara police station and is now in the Bhayangkara police hospital in Palu, Central Sulawesi.
With the death of Sobron, the groups strength has now dropped to only 11 and they are all members of the cell led by Ali Kalora, he noted.
"Following the death of Sobron, 11 more outlaws remain at large now, including Ali Kalora and Yono Sayur. They hail from Poso while others were from outside the region," he underlined.
Santoso was killed in a firefight recently. (WDY)