Indonesian Borders Guarded, Marawi - Maratu Only 3.5 Hour Apart
7 June 2017 01:02 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Samarinda - East Kalimantan provincial government continues to be cautious and vigilant for the escaping terrorist that attempt to enter Indonesia from Marawi.
East Kalimantan Governor Awang Faroek Ishak announced the notion together with Indonesian National Armed Forces VI Military Command Commander, Major General Sonhadji.
Read: Military Stands Guard to Prevent Maute Group Entering Indonesia
“East Kalimantan must pay extra attention, Philippines to the Maratu Island in Berau District (Indonesia) is only 3.5 hours apart on sea,” Awang Faroek said.
Previously, General Major Sonhadji warned for the possibility of terrorists crossing to Indonesia if the group ran out of logistics.
“They are the remaining members of the Islamic State (ISIS) who ran away from the Middle East and formed the Maute group. Currently, the Philippine Military is attacking them,” Sonhadji said in Samarinda tuesday, June 6.
“Sooner or later they will need logistics, and they will run out of supplies due to attacks [from the Philippine military]. They will escape either to Kalimantan or North Maluku,” he said.
To prevent escaping members of the Maute group from Mindanao to Indonesian territories, the Indonesian Military has deployed personnel to secure borders between the two countries.
“We have intensified our patrol. We continue to sweep through alleyways in the borders between Indonesia and Philippines and [watching over] speedboats that pass through,” he said.
Currently, there are 700 TNI personnel deployed and continuously guarding Indonesian borders, especially in the North Kalimantan.
SAPRI MAULANA