Military kills 11 more alleged rebels in Aceh

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak and Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Lhokseumawe/Denpasar

Armed clashes continued in many parts of Aceh province on Tuesday despite the martial law administration's claim that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) had been terminally weakened.

The latest incident occurred in Matang Rawa village, Baktiya district, North Aceh, where a joint unit of soldiers and police attacked a suspected GAM hideout.

Ten alleged rebels, including local GAM commander M. Kasim alias Abu Kasim, were killed, while a marine, Second Sgt. Mudiyono, was injured in the one-hour gunfight across the rice fields.

Earlier on Monday, a unit from Airborne Battalion Team 4 led by First Sgt. Abdul Hari ambushed about 20 armed GAM members in the mountainous district of Kuta Makmur. One of the alleged GAM members was killed.

The martial law administration has claimed that GAM now has only 1,300 armed personnel left active. Before the offensive, GAM was said to have 5,000 active rebels.

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said in Denpasar, Bali, on Tuesday that the number of intelligence officers in Aceh would be increased to make the military operation more effective.

He said the intelligence officers would be tasked with mapping out GAM bases after two months of the military operation.

He said both the military and the police would continue to strengthen what he termed "the Acehnese people's fight" against the separatist movement.

Da'i said that intelligence operatives would be also ordered to look into reports that GAM leader Sofyan Dawood had fled to Malaysia.

"It was just a one-sided report. I have not yet received any confirmation from the Aceh Police," he added.