For Our Unity

Chapter XIV: Changing the Colors

Bandung. 

According to one of my uncles that lived here, the place is relatively safe at day, but a strict curfew was in place from 9 pm to 5 am, thanks to multiple cases of sabotage as well as three way fighting clashes between communists and NII jihadists plus unaffiliated local gangsters that want to profit from the current situation, and during the last 2 weeks, five cells of NII' jihad and human trafficking had been exposed and it's members were caught or being hunted down by Bandung Metropolitan Police and Army National Guard detachments stationed in the city as well as three cells of the National Democratic Front of Indonesia. 

In the meantime, he also told me that he had acquired a US-made shotgun and also joined the local neighborhood's self defense unit.

Now after our train arrived safely in Bandung and armored buses picked us up into a FOB established in the northern outskirts of the city, we were addressed by Colonel Mochtar Susanto, commander of the 304th Infantry Brigade of the West Java National Guard. 

"I'm glad to see another reinforcement from Jakarta has come. We had a volunteer battalion deployed there 3 days ago, 247th Ali Sadikin Battalion and they are now in Majalengka. Your vehicles have arrived in advance one day before your departure from Banten. And so you will immediately be deployed to Majalengka to liberate the nearby town of Jatiwangi, which yesterday has been reoccupied by rebels - ID'ed as 10th and 11th Battalion of West Java Revolutionary Front of the F.D.N.I. They managed to drove out a local NII cell in the process. It's important we do not lose Majalengka."

"The Indonesian Aerospace complex is there, adjoining the Kertajati International Airport. Many of our planes are undergoing maintenance there so once again, your objective is to keep that city Red-and-White at all costs until further orders. The further situation will be explained once you arrive in Majalengka. The 304th is ready to further support you and the 247th in missions to come."

"I also will move this command station to Sumedang to be closer to my men there and my radio callsign will be Kujang 12. Any questions?"

"How about air support?" asked Janice. "Plenty, private; fighter supports were available from Dewanto, Iswahyudi, or even Bengkayang. Army and air force helicopters from Wiriadinata (Tasikmalaya), which currently occupied by the rebels, were now stationed in Kertajati to provide you with assault support and CAS. Subang also has their own choppers plus UAVs, but currently, theirs were occupied with the Liberation of Cirebon. Not including any foreign air assets."

A one-and-half hour later, we boarded our MRAPs and started another 3-hour trek to Majalengka. Our convoy rolled on via Cirebon-Bandung Road with a refueling stop in Sumedang.

"What did they say?" I asked, as radio chatters went on.

"Engineer recon and their attached security found a couple of IEDs" Sgt. Stephen replied.

It took half an hour before clearance to proceed was issued.

The convoy does not only consist of our MRAPs, but also a cavalry element of the 330th Brigade with APCs and a Harimau Hitam medium tank.

We also can see one of our drones flying recce missions on the way. Later a group of helicopters passing through us, two NH90s escorted by two ex-ROK Army AH-64E Apache Guardians.

In villages we passed, local defense forces were seen foot patrolling or using motorbikes and pickup trucks and saluted us. Suddenly when we entered a village called Padanaan we heard gunfire. The lead tank breaks off radio silence.

"Be advised we've encountered rebels, local defense force and elements of local regency police had engaged rebels in the woods near Diva Carwash. Command had given us permission to assist. What a better way to win their heart and minds?"