Female rebels killed, captured

BANDA ACEH, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam: The military claimed on Saturday that it had captured eight members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in the districts of Aceh Jaya, West Aceh, Bireuen and Pidie.

Two of the suspected rebels were women, known as inong balee.

"They were captured in a series of firefights and raids launched by troops against some of their hideouts," a spokesman for the military operation, Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani Basuki, said on Sunday.

"One of the captured inong balee was identified as Erlisman, who is the wife of a rebel from Bunta village, Krueng Sabee subdistrict, Aceh Jaya district, while another one died of gunshots she sustained.

It was also reported that two of other rebels rounded up by the troops came from Sabah Lueng village, Kuta Makmur, in North Aceh, while the rest were residents of Gelanggang Teungoh village, Bireuen district.

Yani said the military also shot dead three other rebels in an exchange of fire in Lamkuta/Blang Pidie village, Southwest Aceh regency on Friday. One of them was a female fighter.

"The three casualties have not yet been identified as they had no identity cards," Yani said. -- Antara