REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PALU - Central Sulawesi police chief Brigadier General Dewa Parsana said Poso had now been secure after anti-terrorism police operations that left one terrorist suspect dead. Although the road has been opened shops along the road were still closed.

"Poso is safe and security situation has been restored," he said on Saturday afternoon.

The trans-Sulawesi road initially blocked by people with tree trunks, planks, tires and stones have now been accessible after being cleaned up of the barriers. People had blocked the road to demand the return of the body of Abd. Halid killed during the operations. The victim`s family had also rejected that the victim was categorized as a terrorist group member.

The road blocked since in the morning had been accessible by traffic since 3.30pm. Poso is one of transit districts connecting between eastern and western and northern Central Sulawesi. 

The police chief said the body of Abd Halid would initially be flown to Jakarta but due to various considerations he was then returned to Poso. The body had been identified at Bhayangkara police hospital in Palu and at 2pm was returned to Poso, escorted by a family member.

The victim was known as an employee of the local forestry service and son of a former Poso district legislative assembly member. The victim died during a police raid at around 5am local time on Saturday that had also led to the capture of another suspect.

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