Air Force launches operation in Aceh

Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

In the wake of violence in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province, the Indonesian Air Force launched a 60-day military operation in the troubled territory to quash the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which has been fighting for independence since 1976.

The operation dubbed Rencong Terbang (Flying Dagger) is also aimed at maintaining security at vital sites, including Arun and ExxonMobil oil and gas complex.

"The Rencong Terbang operation is an order from military headquarters," said chief of the Jakarta-based Air Force Western Fleet Operation Rear Marshal T. Syahrial here.

The military operation is also designed to monitor foreign aircraft in Indonesian airspace over Aceh or North Sumatra.

Although it is an annual operation by the Air Force, Syahrial said, the operation was improved this year to secure the western part of the country.

The military operation includes 10 Hawk jet fighters, five from the Pontianak squadron in West Kalimantan and five from the Pekanbaru squadron in Riau.

One Puma helicopter and one Cessna aircraft will also carry paratroops.

Syahrial claimed the operation had commenced on May 29 and the command would be handled from Medan, North Sumatra.

Commander of the Medan Air Base Col. Djubaedi expected that the operation would help restore order in Aceh.

"We are concerned with the escalation of violence in Aceh. People die every day. This must end," Djubaedi told The Jakarta Post on Thursday evening after seeing the body of Pvt. Gunawan Siahaan at the Air Force Hospital in Medan.

Gunawan was one of six servicemen killed on Wednesday in an ambush by members of GAM.