DidikKrisyanto, the head of the air base in Tarakan, a town in North Kalimantanprovince, said that three Sukhoi fighters will remain for a month from June 16to prevent radicals fighting the Philippine military in Marawi city fromescaping to Indonesia.
Indonesiannaval authorities asked local people, including fishermen in border areasfacing the Philippines, to report any suspicious people.
Apolice mobile brigade corp were also been sent to northern areas on Sulawesiisland to prevent militants from crossing the border.
OnJune 16, some of the Islamist militants who stormed Marawi city in the south ofthe country in May may have mingled with evacuees to slip away during thebattle that has raged for almost four weeks.
Themilitary said that up to 200 fighters, most of them from local insurgent groupsthat have pledged allegiance to Islamic State, but also some foreign fighters,are holding out, using civilians as human shields and mosques as safe havens. -VNA
