Gunmen kill teacher, shoot two other civilians in Aceh

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post/Banda Aceh

A group of armed men shot dead an elementary school teacher and injured his son and a neighbor in Sawang district, South Aceh regency, according to an official military account on Friday.

Capt. Anang Murtiyono, a spokesman for the Teuku Umar district military command in Meulaboh, Aceh, blamed Thursday's incident on the rebel Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

"Those perpetrating the shooting were GAM members. They numbered 10 people carrying four firearms," he told The Jakarta Post.

Anang said the ambush took place at around 7:30 p.m. at Trieng Meuduroe Baru village, some 600 kilometers west of the provincial capital of Banda Aceh.

Husaini, 42, was a teacher at Panton Luas elementary school, while his 16-year old son, Fazlie, was wounded when a bullet grazed his ear.

At the time, Husaini and his family were seated outside their home after breaking the fast. Suddenly, a group of 10 gunmen approached them and shot Husaini in the leg.

He tried to flee into the house but the attackers chased him. He was later found dead in a room.

When the armed men left, they met a civilian patrol guard, Salrani, 43, who passed in front of Husaini's house. "They also shot Salrani in the right arm," Anang added.

He said security forces were looking for the gunmen.

GAM members could not be reached for comment on the latest attack on civilians.

The killing of Husaini brought the death toll to 15 of school teachers who have been killed since May 19, 2003, when the government placed Aceh under martial law.

On May 19 this year, martial law was lifted and replaced by a state of civil emergency.

The military claims that more than 2,200 guerrilla rebels have been killed since the start of this latest offensive in the 30- year war against GAM.

Human rights activists say many of those killed were ordinary civilians.

Since the separatist fighting started in 1970s, more than 100 teachers have been killed.