900 TNI AD Personnel Departed To Labuan Bajo To Secure The 2023 Asean Summit

A number of Army personnel queued up the KRI Banjarmasin after participating in the last check-up before leaving for Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai/ANTARA

A total of 900 Army personnel were dispatched to Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, to secure the implementation of the ASEAN 2023 Summit which took place from 9 to 11 May 2023. Korem 161/Wira Sakti Chief of Staff Colonel Cpl. Simon Petrus Kamlasi said the Army personnel were dispatched using the Warship of the Republic of Indonesia (KRI) Banjarmasin-592. "Those who departed were TNI personnel who served on Timor Island," he said when met at Tenau Kupang Pier, Antara, Thursday, May 4. The TNI personnel are divided into two task forces, namely the regional security task force and also the evacuation task force. In addition, there are also personnel from the combat unit. He said the TNI AD personnel would travel the sea for about 28 hours and were scheduled to arrive in Labuan Bajo on Friday (5/5) afternoon. In addition to the Indonesian Army personnel who boarded the ship, a number of TNI vehicles were also loaded into the warship. "In addition to personnel, we also load vehicles and take them to Labuan Bajo to help with security," said Simon. He added that a number of these vehicles had already begun to be loaded to KRI Banjarmasin on Wednesday (3/5) morning until midnight. Simon added that troop shifts were not only made from Timor Island, but also on the same day a number of TNI personnel from East Flores and Sikka departed for Labuan Bajo from Sikka by ship.

Meanwhile, TNI personnel from Ngada Regency, Ende and surrounding areas departed by road directly to Labuan Bajo.