Indonesia has launched a six-month military-led anti-terrorism operation through its armed forces aimed at cracking down on militants who are suspected to be linked to Islamic State (ISIS) or any other Islamist group.
General Moeldoko confirmed that Special Forces personnel, intelligence officers and the police were conducting a joint task force to crack down radicals in Central Sulawesi that has been famed for being breeding ground for military activity.
With the increased terror threat globally every country is intensifying the anti-terrorism measures and Indonesia is the new entrant.
This operation is the first major counter-terrorism conducted by the military since the 2009 Jakarta Hotel bombings. The counter-terrorism is mainly the police domain.
According to the general the geographical terrain of the area of the operation is very rugged making it difficult for the police to maneuver.
The Indonesian military is expected to drive out the radicals from the region easing the Police’s work of arresting them.
Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population globally, is taking these measures because of the increased fear of thousands of her citizens in the country from Iraq and Syria. The Sulawesi, location of the operation has been receiving warships and military aircrafts since last month as part of the operation.
Justifying the move to use the military the general said that it was the role of the military to keep Indonesia safe amid the rising tensions at the South China Sea and the urgent need to return the calm and stability in the region.
