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Achmad Rifai said that two Marine companies taking part in the siege on the GAM position in Cot Trieng village had been withdrawn.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