Red and White Flag Lowered in Aceh, Army Chief of Staff: No Additional Troops

The incident of lowering the red and white flag at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, Aceh Province, on Saturday (15/8/2026) briefly triggered tension between the masses and TNI-Polri officers. Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Maruli Simanjuntak asserted that the situation in Indonesia’s westernmost province is now conducive. He stated that the issue in the region could be handled by local authorities, so there are no plans to send TNI personnel to Aceh. “No, there are no additional troops,” Maruli told journalists at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday (17/8/2026).