OÉ-CUSSE, 26 april 2024 (TATOLI) – Timorese National Police (PNTL), through Timor-Leste Border Police Unit (UPF), together with the Indonesian Border Security Task Force (BSTF) held border meeting to strengthen coordination in “protecting the common borders between the two countries and consolidating cooperation to curb the illegal border crossing.
UPF Commander Euclides Belo said that this meeting is very important to strengthen the work of the UPF and BSTF in securing the people of both countries.
“Together, we conduct joint operations in order to secure our border and keep the people of both countries safe,” said Belo during the meeting at the Haumeni-Ana Border Zone, in Oe-Cusse, last week.
He said that both sides are committed to taking action to disrupt illegal border crossers in the border zone.
BSTF Commander, Lt. Col. Ronald Tampubolon, said that strengthening the relationship between the BSTF and UPF is crucial to ensuring effective control in the border region.
“As illegal crossings surge along the border between Indonesia and Timor-Leste, therefore, close collaboration with the UPF is something we must maintain,” he said.
Tampubolon said that the UPF and the BSTF have been collaborating for more than six months to strengthen border control efforts: “We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to the UPF’s team for joining us in carrying out operations along the border areas.”
Reporter: Abílio Elo Nini
Editor: Cancio Ximenes
Translation: Camilio de Sousa
