"They have been returned to their respective units."Palu (ANTARA News) - The Central Sulawesi regional police command has sought an extra 200 security personnel to back up its forces in Poso because of increased security threats in the district.
"I have already made the request and I hope the additional personnel will soon be dispatched," the command`s chief, Brigadier General Dewa Parsana, said here on Wednesday.
He stated that some 1,000 police personnel had already been deployed in Poso to ensure security in the region, including 120 personnel from the Mobile Brigade headquarters in Kelapa Dua.
"However, we now need more security personnel in view of the rising security threats in the district," Parsana added.
A home-made bomb, weighing around five kilograms, was found recently near a security post in Jalan Pulau Sumatra. However, the bomb was found and defused by the police.
Earlier, on December 20, four members of the Mobile Brigade were shot dead by a group of unidentified gunmen in the village of Kalora, Poso.
"During the 2005-11 period, some 800 personnel from various regions in the country were sent to work with the Central Sulawesi police command as order and security development officers as part of an effort to improve the security situation in the district," Parsana pointed out.
"They have been returned to their respective units and, therefore, we now need more personnel," he explained.
"The National Police Headquarters has not set me any deadline with regard to solving the cases of violence that happened in Poso," Parsana said.
He noted that it could take a long time to resolve the cases, which would also require the cooperation of community members.
"A certain group has long held a wrong ideology and it has the capability to replace its cadres who are caught or killed by security forces. So, it will take a long time to resolve this issue," Parsana added.
(T.R026/Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR/B003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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