Injured Brimob Officer Flown To Jakarta For Medical Treatment

Palu, C Sulawesi, March 5 (Antara) - A Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officer, who was shot during Monday`s clash with an armed group in Central Sulawesi`s Poso district, was flown to Jakarta on Tuesday for medical treatment at a police hospital. The Brimob officer, identified as Second Brigadier Baharuddin, had earlier been treated at the Palu police hospital for a gunshot wound, spokesman of the Central Sulawesi police Adj. Snr. Comr. Soemarno stated here on Tuesday. However, because of the serious nature of his injury, he was referred to the police hospital in Jakarta to remove a bullet projectile from his hip, he added. Two Brimob personnel were injured in the clash with the armed group at Kilo village, 160 km southeast of the Central Sulawesi provincial capital of Palu on Monday at around 1 p.m. The other Brimob officer, identified as 2nd Agent Syamsu Alam, is being treated at the Palu police hospital for a gunshot wound on his stomach. "His health condition has been improving after he underwent a surgery last night," he explained. Monday`s clash was the latest in a series of shootouts between Brimob personnel and an armed civilian group in the province. On February 6, police officers clashed with an armed group, while on patrol, in the village of Taunca, Central Sulawesi`s Poso district, which led to the death of a policeman. Meanwhile, one member of the armed civilian group was also killed in the clash. Central Sulawesi Police Command spokesman Adj. Snr. Comr. Soemarno stated that the group member killed during the clash was known by the initial F, and he was believed to be a member of a terror cell under the leadership of Santoso. Soemarno added that another member of the group suffered a gunshot wound in the leg. Central Sulawesi Police Command Chief Brigadier General Ari Dono Sukmanto believed that the armed members were part of a terror cell led by Santoso, who is still on the wanted list of the police.