Indonesia Highlights: Indonesian Migrant Workers Returning From Saudi Arabia Suspected of Carrying British Covid-19 Strain to Indonesia | 1 Policeman Dead Following Clashes with Islamic Militants in C

Indonesian security personnel, including the National Police’s elite Mobile Brigade Corps or Brimob have engaged Islamic militants from the East Indonesia Mujahiddin or MIT in a series of firefights at the Central Sulawesi regency of Poso.

The clashes resulted in the death of one Brimob member.

“The deceased was identified as Brimob Police Brigadier 1st Class Herlis,” said Central Sulawesi Regional Police spokesman Police Grand Commissioner Didik Supranoto on Wednesday.

“He was killed in action near the village of Gayatri in Poso’s highlands, after his patrol engaged in a firefight against MIT insurgents under wanted militant Ali Kalora.”

He added that Herlis’ remains were returned to his home village of Kolaka, following an autopsy to determine his cause of death.

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo have deployed thousands of military and police personnel to Central Sulawesi to carry out a manhunt against Kalora and his men, after they killed a family of four Christians at the Sigi Regency in November 2020.

Indonesian political and religious groups and figures condemned Kalora’s actions. the MIT was known to be affiliated with terrorist groups such as Islamic State and Jamaah Islamiyah.

Source:

https://regional.kompas.com/read/2021/03/03/190613378/kontak-senjata-dengan-mit-di-poso-satu-anggota-brimob-polda-sulteng-gugur. 

Densus 88 Counterterrorist Police Nab 22 Suspected Militants in East Java

The Indonesian National Police announced that the Detachment 88 [Densus 88] counterterrorist police has arrested 22 suspected terrorists throughout the Indonesian province in East Java over the past week.

”20 of the men are part of a Jamaah Islamiyah cell which was known as the ‘fahim group’,” said Indonesian National Police spokesman Brigadier General Rusdi Hartono on Wednesday.

“Densus 88 are currently interrogating the suspects to ensure that the ‘fahim groups’ are dealt with.”

Rusdi added that he has yet to confirm if the suspects will be brought to Jakarta for further questioning.

Densus 88 arrested most of the militants last Friday, February 26, in a series of arrests in the cities of Surabaya, Sidoarjo, Mojokerto and Malang, while two were arrested earlier this week.

Densus 88 added that 12 of the suspects were building bunkers to stockpile bombs and firearms. The counterterrorist unit added that the men were also preparing getaway routes to escape after carrying out terrorist attacks.

Source:

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/03/03/14240491/polri-densus-88-sudah-tangkap-22-terduga-teroris-di-jatim.