Black day for Military as Aceh conflict intensifies<\/p>\n
Berni K. Moestafa
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nLhokseumawe, Aceh<\/p>\n
Just hours after claiming to have made significant progress in
\nits operation to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) lost seven soldiers during a clash in
\nMatang Kumbang, Bireun regency, Aceh, on Monday.<\/p>\n
It was the highest number of casualties the TNI has suffered
\nin one single incident so far in the province, and comes as the
\noffensive entered its fourth week.<\/p>\n
According to the Military, the soldiers died pursuing rebels
\nwho ambushed their convoy of three trucks carrying around 20
\nsoldiers from the first Strike Force Detachment.<\/p>\n
In addition, six other soldiers and one officer from the
\npolice's paramilitary Mobil Brigade (Brimob) were injured in the
\ngunfight, which lasted for about three hours. The Military said
\nfive rebels were also killed in the incident.<\/p>\n
\"This is our biggest loss so far in terms of casualties
\nsuffered in a battle,\" said Aceh Military Operation Commander
\nBrig. Gen. Bambang Darmono, who described the troops as \"heroic\".<\/p>\n
\"They (the soldiers) could have fled the ambush. But they
\ndidn't, they went out to fight.\"<\/p>\n
The rebels first attacked the convoy with a hand grenade,
\nwhich hit the first truck, said Bambang during a press conference
\non Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He said the soldiers immediately pursued the attackers, and
\nspotted them at the top of a hill, where they had taken up
\nposition.<\/p>\n
Bambang said that some of the soldiers flanked the rebels from
\nthe right so they could fire at them from two sides.<\/p>\n
Showing a video of the site where the battle occurred, he said
\nthe GAM rebels clearly had topographical advantage on their side.
\nThe soldiers had to fight their way up the hill, meaning the
\nrebels had a clear field of fire at them.<\/p>\n
The first three soldiers died as they reached the top of the
\nhill, while four others died trying to recover the bodies of the
\ndead and evacuate the wounded. The seven who died were Lt. Karno,
\nSecond Pvt. Apri, First Pvt. Askar Badu, Second Pvt Bian S. Tago,
\nSecond Pvt. Adam Nur, Second Pvt. Yafet Hermisa and First Pvt.
\nHappy Sasinggih.<\/p>\n
Bambang said that some of the attackers were members of GAM's
\nfemale military wing, Inong Balee. He suspected that most of them
\nwere still in the Matang Kumbang area.<\/p>\n
In another related development, Coordinating Minister for
\nPolitical and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the
\ngovernment would ban foreigners, whether tourists, activists or
\njournalists, from the province as their presence there could
\ndisrupt the military operation and put their lives in danger.<\/p>\n
\"This ban is urgent to avoid any foreign victims in the
\nprovince, and to help make the military operation a success,\" he
\nsaid on a visit to Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
A German tourist was shot dead and his wife was injured while
\ncamping on a beach in Lhok Gayo village, Aceh Jaya regency, last
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, martial law administrator Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya
\ncalled on all staff of the Geneva-based Henry Dunant Centre
\n(HDC), who helped monitor the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement
\nsigned on Dec. 9, 2002, to leave the province as their presence
\nwas no longer needed to mediate between the two conflicting
\nsides.<\/p>\n
\"So far the HDC staff are still in Aceh, but we expect that
\nthey will leave the province immediately,\" martial law
\nadministration spokesman Col. Ditya Soedarsono said in Banda
\nAceh.<\/p>",
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