Rebels kill six, injure others in Aceh<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Violence flared again in the province of Aceh on
\nTuesday, with the military reporting that Free Aceh separatist
\nguerrillas killed six and seriously injured six others.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Tuesday night that at least 20 members
\nof the rebels group launched an assault on a transmigration
\nresettlement center in the Peudada district of North Aceh.<\/p>\n
Two transmigrants, identified as Zulkifli and Yanto, were
\nkilled in the afternoon attack, Syamsul said.<\/p>\n
The rebel group is said to be led by Hasan Tiro, who is in
\nexile in Sweden.<\/p>\n
According to Syamsul, the rebels killed four others as they
\nattempted to reach the victims of the initial assault.<\/p>\n
The four were identified as Fauzi, a physician at the Peudada
\npublic health center, Musthopa, a nurse, police second class Sgt.
\nHendrik and police Pvt. second class Dominggus, he said.<\/p>\n
He said the four were killed when members of the police's
\nCrack Riot Troop (PPRM) -- sent to the province last week to
\nprevent unrest -- were deployed to the resettlement center.<\/p>\n
No civilian witnesses could be reached for comment, but a
\nlocal correspondent told the Post that the incident took place at
\nabout 10 a.m. on Tuesday when a truck carrying members of the
\nPPRM became mired in mud at Alu Rheung village in the Peudada
\ndistrict.<\/p>\n
"Locals said the PPRM officers were heading to their village
\nafter being informed of a Free Aceh meeting in the area," the
\nsource said.<\/p>\n
While trying to free their truck from the mud, the officers
\nwere attacked by the separatist rebels, he said.<\/p>\n
"At least 12 people, including one officer, two medical staff
\nmembers and nine rebels, were shot during the clash," the source
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The director of the local Biereun Hospital, Syahrizal, said
\nhis hospital received two dead bodies and treated eight people
\nwho were injured in the clash.<\/p>\n
"Each of them had gunshot wounds," he told the Post.<\/p>\n
He said the two dead victims were Fauzia, the head of the
\nvillage health center, and Mustapha, a member of Fauzia's
\nmedical staff.<\/p>\n
"Fauzia was shot in the cheek and arm, while Mustapha was shot
\nin the head and abdomen," Syahrizal said, adding that the other
\neight victims were taken to Lhokseumawe Hospital for further
\ntreatment.<\/p>\n
According to Syamsul, six other people, including the Peudada
\nPolice chief, were injured when the rebels, armed with Russian-
\nmade AK-47s, attacked the police station.<\/p>\n
"After launching the assault, the rebels escaped to a nearby
\nforest area in the village," he said.<\/p>\n
Syamsul said a number of soldiers and members of the riot
\ntroop were deployed to capture the rebels.<\/p>\n
"TNI, in cooperation with local people, will try to capture
\nthe rebels alive," he said.<\/p>\n
He regretted the attack was launched when the military was
\nworking hard to restore order in the troubled regency.<\/p>\n
One of the latest fatal incidents in the area occurred on May
\n3 at Krueng Geukueh in North Aceh when at least 41 people,
\nincluding women and children, were killed by the military
\nfollowing a gathering of the Free Aceh movement several nights
\nearlier.<\/p>\n
Eight days after the shootings, five grenades exploded at a
\nLhokseumawe military complex containing air defense artillery.
\nThe attack was apparently in retaliation for the shootings.<\/p>\n
Nobody was injured in the attack.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military blamed the incident on the Free Aceh
\nrebels.<\/p>\n
Calls for a referendum in the province to allow Acehnese to
\nvote on whether they want independence have been growing
\nrecently.<\/p>\n
On April 15, thousands of students and residents vandalized
\nIndonesian flags in Lohksukon, North Aceh, following the removal
\nof banners demanding a referendum on the province's future.
\n(rms\/01\/47\/bsr\/ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rebels-kill-six-injure-others-in-aceh-1447893297",
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