"We hope that they will descend from the hills and surrender just as Basri did. There is no point indulging in actions that would only harm them and their community," Tito said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - National Police Chief General Tito Karnavian on Tuesday urged the remaining members of the East Indonesia Mujahidin terrorist group, once led by the late Santoso, in Poso, Central Sulawesi, to surrender.
"We hope that they will descend from the hills and surrender just as Basri did. There is no point indulging in actions that would only harm them and their community," he said while speaking on the sidelines of an event to dedicate a health service facility at the Said Sukanto police hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta.
A firefight had broken out on Monday (Sept 19) between personnel of the Tinombala Operation Task Force assigned to crush the group and members of the East Indonesia Mujahidin group, in the Tombua plantation area in the village of Tangkura, Poso Pesisir Selatan sub-district, Central Sulawesi.
One member of the terrorist group died in the exchange.
Identified as Sabron, he had been on the wanted list for long and had managed to flee when the Tinombala team had caught Basri alias Baging and his wife Nurmi Usman alias Oma, on Wednesday (Sept 14).
General Tito said the Tinombala operation would come to an end in the next month and a half. "The operation will continue for the next one and a half months," he stated.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
