REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PALU -- The chief of the Central Sulawesi police command, Brigadier General Rudy Sufahriadi, said here on Wednesday that the Tinombala Operation to arrest Santoso alias Abu Wardah, the leader of an armed group in the region, has been extended for three months.
"The operation has been extended for 90 more days, following which the situation will be evaluated again. God willing, during this period, we will be able to arrest Santoso and his group," he stated.
The operation has been extended from May 10 to August 10, and the forces have also undergone rotation, he informed.
"Until now, no additional forces have been deployed. The personnel are only being rotated to replace their colleagues stationed earlier," he said.
The regional police chief appealed to Santoso and members of his group, numbering 24, to immediately surrender just as other members - Ibad, Son Haji and Irfan Maulana - did some time ago.
He explained that the Tinombala Operation would come to an end if Santoso and his group were caught or surrendered.
House Commission III member Sarifuddin Suding informed that the parliament had agreed to increase the budget for the operation by Rp 25 billion.
"We support the operation by approving this increased budget. It is important to arrest Santoso immediately," he said during a recent visit to Palu.