REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SURABAYA -- M grade rockets were fired at Gunung Biru, which is believed to be the den of terrorists in Poso, Central Sulawesi, during a military exercise on Monday.

The spokesman for the Eastern Fleet Command, Lt. Col. Maman Sulaeman, said in a press statement received here on Wednesday that the rocket attacks were carried out by the Swift Reaction Attack Unit (PPRC).

Rockets were fired at Gunung Biru from land, sea, and air during a military drill that attracted local people's attention and was witnessed by commander of defense forces (TNI) General Moeldoko, army chief of staff, navy chief of staff, army's strategic reserve command chief, Eastern Fleet commander, and other military brass.

After spraying rockets at Gunung Biru, two warships and four fighters with heavy artillery in turn fired at the mountain from a certain height, followed by a deployment of parachutists from 10 Hercules planes and a helicopter.

The M Grade rocket attacks by a marine unit and KRI Sultan Hasanuddin-366 warship were part of assaults carried out by a PPRC marine task force led by Col Iwan Isnurwanto.

The Eastern Fleet deployed three warships for the exercise: KRI Sultan Hasanuddin-366, KRI Surabaya-591, and KRI Hasan Basri-382.

KRI Surabaya-591, which is a landing platform dock, successfully docked at Poso II Pier after sailing from Surabaya in East Java.

According to TNI Commander General Moeldoko, the exercise conveyed a "Show of Force" message that ISIS has no place in the country; and it is expected to have a considerable impact regionally as well as internationally.

"Carry out the drills as best as you can," he told his personnel during a teleconference with TNI's PPRC army, navy, and air force task forces.

General Moeldoko arrived at Mutiara SIS Aljufri Airport in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Monday and opened the TNI forces' joint exercise in the evening.

He arrived aboard a CN235 aircraft along with a number of high-ranking officers of the TNI. Upon arrival, he immediately left for Poso.

The TNI exercise will last for two weeks and will involve some 3,200 personnel from the army, navy, and air forces.

The PPRC exercise is aimed at increasing the preparedness of defense personnel to protect vulnerable regions in the country.

"This is a routine annual exercise and can be conducted anywhere," he noted.

According to the general, Poso has been chosen as the training location because the region is considered vulnerable in terms of security.

The Indonesian police are tracking down the members of a terrorist group led by Santoso. They are believed to be hiding in the region.

This year, they have already arrested 10 people believed to be the members of Santoso's network.

Santoso and his group are believed to be behind a series of terror attacks on security setups and residents in Poso district and several other areas in Central Sulawesi.

Three years ago, the police declared the group as dangerous and their members as wanted.

Moeldoko had earlier stressed that the exercise was not aimed at catching suspected terrorists. "If we find Santoso and his men, we will ask them to surrender, and if they don't, then we will shoot them."

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika