Eight more die in Aceh violence

Eight more die in Aceh violence

Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Eight people were killed in a series of violence incidents in
Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province over the weekend, the military
and the GAM separatist group both said on Sunday.

In the latest incident, the military said suspected members of
the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) ambushed a car carrying
soldiers, killing a junior military officer.

"A local military subdistrict chief, Capt. Chairul Aqsa, and
six of his men were riding in a van on Sunday when 15 armed men
ambushed them in Alue Ketapang, North Aceh," said Indonesian
Military (TNI) spokesman in the troubled province Maj. Zaenal
Muttaqin.

Chairul was killed, while his men were wounded, the officer
said.

Meanwhile, the police's elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) shot
dead two suspected GAM members in an armed clash on Saturday in
Tanjong Selamat, some eight kilometers north of the provincial
capital of Banda Aceh, a provincial police spokesman Adj. Sr.
Comr. Dade Achmad said.

He said the two victims were believed to have been involved in
the murder of the rector of the state Syiah Kuala University,
Dayan Dawood, last year.

Local GAM spokesman T. Muksalmina said the two were not rebels
but civilians. He also denied the police's accusation that GAM
was responsible for Dawood's death.

Earlier on Friday, another GAM member was shot dead during a
clash between soldiers and rebels in the Indrapuri area of Aceh
Besar regency, Muttaqin said. Muksalmina confirmed that the
victim was a GAM member.

Muttaqin said troops also shot dead a rebel in a clash in Alue
Punti, East Aceh regency, on Friday. A soldier was wounded in the
incident.

In West Aceh, local GAM spokesman Darwin Djeunieb said troops
conducting an anti-rebel operation in Rheum Barat killed two
civilians.

Another civilian was shot dead during a military operation in
the Panga area of West Aceh on Friday, local GAM commander Abu
Arafah said.

Muttaqin could not confirm the three latest fatalities.

GAM has been fighting for an independent state in Aceh since
1976. More than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in the
conflict, including over 400 this year.