Poso (AsiaNews) – Last night, police and soldiers exchanged fire for half an hour in Poso: there were no injuries but tension has increased in the tormented Indonesian province of Central Sulawesi.

It is not clear why the clash erupted between personnel of the Jakarta-based mobile brigade's personnel and the Army cavalry personnel of the Poso Military Command. The Police General Rudi Sufariadi said everything was down to a "misunderstanding" between the two parties and he pledged to punish his men who were involved.

It is not uncommon for police and army personnel to clash in Indonesia, usually over disputes linked to illicit trafficking; many say both forces are implicated in this forbidden trade.

Central Sulawesi has been the battleground of a long-running conflict between Christians and Muslims, which has been re-emerging in recent months. For this reason, thousands of security personnel are deployed in the area. Only yesterday, in a street outside a Christian church, a small bomb went off without causing any damage.
Iskandar, a local resident and eye witness, said that after the shooting, thousands of residents fled Poso and headed for places deemed more secure. People just rushed out of the house after doing their shopping for Idul Adha (the feast of the Sacrifice) celebrations. After news of the clashes, "the Sumatera Boulevard emptied of people", said Iskander, referring to the most crowded street in downtown Poso.

The event prompted religious leaders to hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss whether or not an Islamic manifestation planned for Idul Adha should be held.