Vietnamplus

Indonesian police have detained around 20 suspected militants as security steps up ahead of the Christmas and New Year holiday season.

Indonesia will deploy some 180,000 security personnel ahead of Christmas and New Year holidays, local authorities said on December 22.

The Philippine military on November 29 said fifteen suspected militants including six women were killed in a gun battle in Manila, five days after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called off peace talks between the government and rebels.

Indonesian police announced on June 22 that they have arrested 41 suspected militants following last month’s suicide bombings in Jakarta that killed and injured 15 people.

Several Southeast Asian countries were put on alert on December 23 on the threshold of Christmas and New Year following two foiled bomb plots in Australia and Indonesia.