13 people killed in fresh Aceh violence

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): At least 13 people were killed in the latest outburst of violence in troubled-torn Aceh on Thursday and Friday, officials and rebels said on Saturday.

The armed conflicts between security forces and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels that claimed 11 lives, took place at two different regencies in East Aceh and West Aceh on Thursday.

Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman for Aceh's Law and Order Operation Col. Firdaus said that six rebels were killed after hours of gunfight at Geulanggang Meurak Ale Nireh village in East Aceh.

GAM spokesman in East Aceh, Ishak Daud, however, denied the claim. He told The Jakarta Post that only one rebel had died in the armed clash.

TNI spokesman in Banda Aceh, First Lt. Suharto, was quoted by Antara on Saturday, that five rebels were also gunned down in a separate gunfight at Suak Awey village in Kaway XVI district in West Aceh on Thursday.

A number of weapons were seized as evidences, including several rounds of AK-47 and M-16 ammunition and SS-1 semi- automatic rifles, the officer was quoted by the news agency.

He said the fray began when some 75 GAM rebels brandishing around 30 various firearms launched an attack on a TNI 320 Infantry Battalion post from three different directions.

The infantry battalion's chief First Sgt. Enjang Sudrajat had had a hunch about the attack and had put his men on alert, he said.

"The men were put on alert within a radius of 100 meters from the military post and when GAM launched the attack, the troops were ready for it."

After the three-hour shootout, the military combed the area and found the bodies of five rebels, he said, adding that there were no casualties from the military side.

"Apart from the fatalities, we also estimated that around 20 rebels were wounded in the armed engagement," the officer said, adding that the rebels' bodies had been handed over to the Suak Awe village chief for burial.

GAM chief Amri Abdul Wahab said he had yet to receive a report on the incident in Suak Awe, but later claimed that the military and the police had been conducting a series of sweeping operations in South Aceh and North Aceh on Thursday and Friday, resulting in the death of two civilians, including a teacher.

He said that at least five houses were set on fire in Sukadamai village, South Aceh and five others were damaged in the incident.

A series of shaky negotiations between Jakarta and GAM have failed to curtail the violence in Aceh, which has claimed no less than 1,200 lives this year, mostly civilians.

GAM has been fighting for an independent state since the mid 1970s, long before the government slapped a separatist tag on the group in March of this year. (50/edt)