Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Army`s Special Force`s Anti-Terror Unit 81 again conducts a joint exercise with Australia`s special force SAS in Perth, Australia, special force Kopassus spokesman Lt Col Thevi A Zebua said here on Monday.

The exercise code-named "Dawn Kookabura" was aimed at increasing relations between the two countries` militaries especially anti-terror units, he said.

"The anti-terror unit sends 31 personnel led by chief of the anti-terror unit 81, Lt Col Taufik Shobri," he said.

He said materials for the exercise included diffusion of explosives, handling of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and maritime security.

"Before conducting the joint exercise the personnel from Anti-Terror Unit 81 have already carried out pre-training so that they were more ready to participate in the joint exercise," he said.

The joint exercise would last until March 19. "During the exercise Kopassus commander will visit the venue on March 15-17," he said.

The Kopassus and SAS joint exercise program had been halted following the East Timor incident with allegations of human rights violations by the Indonesian military (TNI) in 1999.(*)

(R018/H-YH/A/HAJM)

Editor: Ruslan Burhani
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