JAKARTA: Indonesia’s military and police will deploy special task forces, including snipers, to the main travel route in Sumatra to manage security during the annual homecoming rush, when millions of people will commute between cities and islands to observe Eid Al-Fitr with family.
Locally known as “mudik,” the Eid exodus is one of the world’s greatest seasonal migrations, with travelers braving enormous traffic jams, thousands of kilometers, and exhaustion to make it home for the holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.
Out of nearly 144 million Indonesians, or over half of the total population, who are expected to take part in the annual tradition this year, millions will take the highways of South Sumatra province, where security measures are heightened to oversee the safety of the travelers.
“We are deploying snipers to support security operations during the 2026 Eid homecoming period,” Maj. Gen. Ujang Darwis, chief of the military command in the province, told reporters.
“The National Police will be working together with us to ensure safety for the public, our officers will strengthen security throughout the exodus route and anticipate any potential crime.”
