ASIATODAY.ID, BOGOR – At 07:20 AM WIB, the cry of “Garuda” echoed inside the barracks of the Indonesian Regional Development Battalion Task Force (Satgas INDO RDB) 39G Monusco, at the Peacekeeping Mission Center (PMPP) TNI training area in Sentul, West Java, Thursday (May 15, 2025).
Two journalists entered Company C in Bogoro (a city in Congo) escorted by a vehicle from the United Nations Information Center (UNIC). The situation remained calm, and the soldiers were preparing for various activities. At 08:00 AM WIB, a briefing began for a foot patrol mission.
At exactly 08:23 AM WIB, 18 personnel from Company C Bogoro, part of Satgas INDO RDB 39G Monusco, along with two journalists, left the base.
The journey initially proceeded smoothly. But at 08:31 AM WIB, the patrol heard gunfire coming from the forest. Instantly, the entire team took cover, including the two journalists who sheltered behind trees, closely guarded by four soldiers.
Before negotiations took place, the commanding officer of the Garuda troops shouted “UN, UN” (United Nations), but gunfire continued from the militia. Soon, the militia fled, and the patrol resumed its journey.
“You are our asset, remain under supervision. Feel free to take pictures but do it properly,” said a soldier assigned to escort the two journalists.
Uncertainty and challenges were created to mirror real conditions in Congo. The convoy drove on the right side of the road with left-hand steering, an unfamiliar setup for the journalists. Their hearts pounded when gunfire erupted again.
Fortunately, none of the Garuda troops from Company C Bogoro fired back. “In our mission in Congo, firing shots is highly undesirable. It is permitted, but only as the last resort. Our mission is peacekeeping,” explained a company commander.
At 08:41 AM WIB, gunfire rang out again. The journalists were swiftly directed to return to the bushes for cover. Each of the four escorting soldiers crouched, ready with their SS2-V1 rifles.
The gunfire ceased after the commanding officer shouted “UN, UN” once more. In this training scenario, the shots came from two conflicting militia groups. However, upon the Garuda troops’ arrival, they dispersed, allowing the patrol to continue.
The pre-deployment training replicated real-world situations, including foreign-language communication. When encountering civilians, the soldiers greeted them with “jambo” (Hello).
At exactly 08:47 AM WIB, the team returned to the base. The commanding officer instructed the soldiers to unload blank ammunition from their rifles before reviewing the operation.
“We’ll conduct a small evaluation. Thanks to everyone for avoiding contact (gunfire). When we moved forward, we raised the UN flag to prevent further militia conflicts,” the company commander emphasized during the review.
“All personnel accounted for, check the ammunition,” the commanding officer added.
At 09:10 AM WIB, the two journalists were invited to observe the next pre-deployment training session, in which a platoon from Company C received a fragmentary order (Frago) from the UN to conduct a Cordon and Search mission.
This mission involved traveling in convoy to the operation site, where three vehicles moved together to reach their destination. At 09:18 AM WIB, the troops arrived in Comiya village.
Platoon Commander First Lieutenant (Inf) Muhammad Tauhid Romadhan immediately approached the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) soldiers stationed there.
With fluency, the officer—an Indonesian Military Academy graduate from 2011—negotiated with local troops to gain access to the detained individual held by the militia.
After securing access and support, FARDC soldiers led the Garuda troops to a suspected location where the detainee was believed to be held.
Upon arrival at the village chief’s house, the troops formed a perimeter for security while the platoon commander, accompanied by FARDC troops, engaged in a heated debate with the village chief in English.
The village chief initially refused to grant access, arguing that his village was a safe place and that the presence of UN forces unsettled the community.
However, with cultural sensitivity and goodwill, the Garuda troops eventually won the village chief’s trust—especially after offering authentic items from Indonesia as a token of good faith.
The village chief agreed to lead the troops to the suspected site, where they discovered the detainee on the third floor of a building.
Indeed, the captive man was Mr. Hanix, the designated rescue target of the mission.
A tense situation unfolded when gunfire rang out nearby, causing panic among the hostage-taker, who then threatened to kill the detainee.
However, due to the negotiation skills of the Garuda troops, the situation was de-escalated. It was later discovered that the hostage-taker was not a local but a member of a militia group.
The armed militant repeatedly refused requests to lower his weapon. Instead, he drew his machete further from its sheath.
Slowly, the village chief and FARDC soldiers approached the militant, urging him to stay calm.
Suddenly, the village chief and FARDC troops seized the machete from the militant’s grasp.
Garuda troops swiftly freed and secured Mr. Hanix, while the militant was handed over to the FARDC soldiers.
Before departing, the Garuda troops continued searching dangerous locations for any remaining threats.
Once the mission was successfully completed, the platoon returned to the base on foot.
At 10:48 AM WIB, the troops entered the base. As per protocol, the commanding officer conducted a final review and ammunition check before dismissing the soldiers.
Separately, Company C Commander Captain (Mar) Agung Priantoro of Satgas INDO RDB 39G Monusco explained the various training scenarios carried out on the second day, including foot patrol, cordon and search, and hijack drills.
Speaking to the journalists, Agung noted that the biggest challenge in his first overseas deployment was adapting to different operational concepts compared to domestic missions.
The Garuda troops’ deployment followed strict UN guidelines, which required adjustments compared to their usual operational experiences in Indonesia.
As an alumnus of the Indonesian Naval Academy (2015), Agung outlined three core responsibilities of his unit: protecting civilians, disarming combatants, and ensuring security for UN assets in Congo.
Based on information from the outgoing task force, Company C Bogoro would be responsible for approximately 60 villages with a total population exceeding 10,000 people.
“We hope that in the upcoming deployment, we can successfully carry out all assigned tasks. And most importantly, we depart complete and return complete, without any losses,” he concluded. (AT Network)
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