Gunmen launch attack on police post in Poso

Gunmen launch attack on police post in Poso

Irvan NR, The Jakarta Post, Palu, Central Sulawesi

Despite heightened security measures, gunmen launched a fresh
attack early on Wednesday in Poso regency, Central Sulawesi,
further shattering almost a year of peace in the religiously
divided province, police and activists said.

The unidentified attackers, numbering at least 15, targeted a
security post in the hamlet of Taripa at Toini village, Poso
Pesisir subdistrict, at around 12:30 a.m.

They fired shots twice at the post, where police officers on
guard immediately confronted them. The firefight then erupted and
the gunmen fled to a nearby jungle after around 10 minutes of
fighting.

No casualties were reported but many local villagers were
forced to flee their homes in panic as they feared they were
being targeted. The local authorities evacuated some other local
residents to safer areas after the incident.

The local police said dozens of military and police officers
were deployed to search for the gunmen.

"Security officers immediately combed the jungle near Toini
village. We don't know yet if the attackers have been captured or
not," said local human rights activist Syamsul Alam, who was at
the scene.

The attack came despite the reinforcements of police officers
in Poso following the latest deaths of at least three people
blamed on mysterious gunmen. There are currently around 3,200
police and soldiers on alert in the regency.

Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Abdi Dharma said it was still
safe as most local residents resumed their daily activities.

He said the police were looking for local villager Husen
Garusu, 50, who is still missing after armed men stopped his bus
at Kuku village, Lage subdistrict, Poso, on Monday.