A soldier killed, four wounded in Aceh

A soldier killed, four wounded in Aceh

INDONESIA: A land mine exploded in restive Aceh early on Saturday, killing one soldier and wounding four others.

The spokesman for the military operation in Lhokseumawe, Capt. Herman, told The Jakarta Post by telephone the land mine was placed on a bridge. He said it was triggered while the soldiers were patrolling the Pante Rambong village in Simpang Ulim, East Aceh, at 1:30 a.m.

"The explosion occurred after a soldier stepped on the mine's trigger, connected with a piece of string tied across the bridge," he said.

He said Pvt. Agus Suryadinata died instantly, while four other soldiers whose identities were not available were rushed to the Lilawangsa Military Hospital in Lhokseumawe.

It is the first violence initiated by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) since it declared a unilateral truce on Nov. 4, according to Herman. --JP