"As many as 1,250 TNI soldiers will be sent from Jakarta to Riau. The administration will gradually deploy the soldiers, starting today and next Wednesday," the 031 Resort Military Commander Brigadier General Nurendi informed Antara here on Tuesday.
Some of the soldiers arrived at Roesmin Nurjadin Airbase on Tuesday at 11 a.m. local time onboard a CN-295 cargo aircraft.
Four aircraft have landed at the airbase to drop the military officers. The aircraft had returned to Jakarta to transport other soldiers.
According to Nurendi, the soldiers have been deployed from the Air Force Special Troops and Strategic Army Command.
Nurendi remarked that the soldiers have been deployed to assist in extinguishing the fires in Riau Province.
He noted that the hotspots in Riau have decreased in the past several weeks. However, the soldiers will take preventive measures to stop the spread of forest fires.
Nurendi stated that the Mobile Brigade Unit will intensify its efforts to extinguish the fires in Riau Province.
"The Mobile Brigade Unit from Medan in North Sumatra will also join in the efforts. They will arrive here this afternoon," the commander revealed.
According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Head Willem Rampangilei, President Widodo has ordered every stakeholder to help extinguish forest fires and to tackle haze engulfing parts of Indonesia over the past few weeks.
At least 12,260 inhabitants of Riau Province have fallen ill due to the haze triggered by forest, peatland, and plantation fires in the province.
(UU.B019/INE)
EDITED BY INE/A014
(UU.B019/B/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
