11 Navy vessels in Aceh waters

11 Navy vessels in Aceh waters

SURABAYA: Eleven Indonesian warships are still on station in
Aceh waters, despite the army's lifting of a siege on a rebel
position in northern Aceh and the signing of a truce in Geneva
last Monday.

The ships, consisting of seven warships and four freighters,
are awaiting further orders from the Indonesian Military
commander, the Navy's commander Adm. Bernard Kent Sondakh said on
Friday.

Bernard said the ships might be kept on in the waters of Aceh.

The naval vessels, he pointed out, were there not only to
thwart the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) but also to secure
Indonesia's territorial waters against illegal fishing and
smugglers.

Meanwhile, Marine Corps commander Maj. Gen. Achmad Rifai said
that two Marine companies taking part in the siege on the GAM
position in Cot Trieng village had been withdrawn.

"But, in all there are still 1,800 Marines in Aceh," he added.

"We are still waiting for an order from the military
commander. The presence of the Marines in Aceh is merely to
maintain security," he said.

The military has since October had almost 1,500 personnel
surrounding the GAM position but withdrew most of the troops
following the signing of the truce.

Only 80 troops have been left in the area to maintain
security. --Antara