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View all search resultsTNI plans expansion of army’s elite forces beyond Java
The Indonesian Military (TNI) is planning to expand its Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus) structure outside Java as part of a restructuring of elite forces across all three military branches, a move that has sparked mixed reactions from military observers and human rights groups.
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Personnel of the Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus), accompanied by sniffer dogs, rappel from a helicopter during a mock terror attack on July 25, 2018 in Jakarta. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
T
he Indonesian Military (TNI) is planning to expand its Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus) structure outside Java as part of a restructuring of elite forces across all three military branches, a move that has sparked concern from human rights groups.
The expansion plan would involve the establishment of new Kopassus groups in strategic regions outside Java, with locations under consideration such as Pekanbaru in Sumatra, Kendari in Sulawesi as well as Kalimantan and Papua, according to special presidential adviser on national defense Dudung Abdurachman.
“There will be several new groups. President [Prabowo Subianto] believes that, given the vast size of the country, additional units need to be developed,” said Dudung, a retired general and former Army chief of staff, in an interview with Tempo earlier this week.
Established in 1952, Kopassus is known for its expertise in unconventional warfare, counterterrorism, intelligence and direct action. It is widely regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s most capable special forces units.
Prabowo, who himself is a retired army general, led Kopassus from 1995 to 1998, overseeing key operations during a period of heightened political tension.
Under his leadership, Kopassus' Tim Mawar (Rose Team) was implicated in abducting more than 20 students and pro-democracy protesters in the lead up to the fall of Soeharto’s authoritarian regime. Prabowo has consistently denied involvement in the abduction.
Kopassus now operates four specialized units, each with a distinct role: Group 1 handles direct action operations with headquarters in Serang, Banten, Group 2 conducts covert operations from Kartasura, Central Java and Group 3 leads reconnaissance missions in Jakarta. Its elite counterterrorism unit, Sat-81 Gultor, is also based in Jakarta.
