TNI Secures 3 Mortars And Assembled Weapons From Residents Of Hitu Central Maluku

The handover of a homemade firearm by Hitu Maluku residents to the TNI (Between/HO-Pers pendam)

AMBON - The Indonesian National Army (TNI) through Kodim 1504/Ambon seized three mortars and one homemade firearm from residents of Hitu, Central Maluku Regency, Maluku.

"This homemade weapon was handed over directly by residents of Hitu Village to personnel from the Intel Kodim 1504 Ambon unit," said Dandim 1504/Ambon Lt. Col. Arh Tengku Sony Sonatha in a written statement received in Ambon, Antara, Tuesday, July 11.

According to the Dandim, the homemade weapons were handed over by residents based on a sense of awareness regarding the law on firearms ownership.

The Dandim continued that the three mortars were found directly by its members, namely Sertu Rizal Pelu, a member of the Intelligence Unit of Kodim 1504/Ambon in the Tanjung Letulain forest area and the Air Mata Tujuh forest, Hitu Village, together with residents of Hitu Village, Central Maluku.

"The existence of this mortar was discovered by Sertu Rizal Pelu when he was monitoring the Hitu Village area and received reports from residents," he said.

The mortar itself is an artillery weapon that is loaded from the front, and fires bullets at low speed, short range, and with a high parabolic arc.

These properties contrast with large artillery pieces, such as cannons and howitzers, whose shells travel at high speeds, have long ranges, and have lower arcs.

Typically a modern mortar device consists of a tube in which a mortar round is dropped into a firing mechanism that detonates the chemical to eject it.

Until now, the Intel Kodim 1504/Ambon unit is still continuing to carry out in-depth investigations to obtain information on the possibility that residents still have ammunition or homemade firearms.

The deepening of the information was carried out because previously there had been tension between two groups of residents in Leihitu District, namely Hitu and Wakal Villages.

Citizens are also expected to be proactive in building a sense of unity and unity and avoiding potential conflicts that could occur at any time.