Military strikes rebel base with rockets

Military strikes rebel base with rockets

Nani Farida and Tengku Agam Muzakkir, The Jakarta Post,
Banda Aceh/Lhokseumawe

After a six-month lapse, Air Force bombers led a major offensive
against Free Aceh Movement (GAM) bases in Aceh Besar regency on
Friday.

During an air assault lasting 20 minutes, two OV-10 Broncos
fired at least 28 missiles to level seven huts located in a hilly
forest, which was believed to harbor rebels. No fatalities were
reported in the attack.

"We conducted a surveillance in the morning and found the huts
belonging to GAM inside the forest. We only launched the assault
around 3:30 p.m.," Aceh Besar Military Commander Lt. Col. Joko
Warsito said.

It was the first bombardment of GAM positions using aircraft
after around six months. The TNI deployed F-16 jet fighters in
June to strike GAM bases in North Aceh. On the first day of the
military operation on May 19, the military dispatched HS-Hawks to
the province, raising objections from their producing country
Britain.

Joko said the air surveillance easily detected the wooden huts
as they were covered by stark blue tarpaulins.

"We saw clothes hanging on several parts of the huts,
indicating the presence of human beings," Joko said. "I believe
GAM deputy commander for Aceh Besar lived there."

He was convinced the rebels had celebrated the GAM anniversary
on Thursday at the place, which is situated on Geunaleng mountain
in Darul Kamal district.

Military troops scoured the site following the air assault,
but found no bodies. The military expressed fear the rebels had
mingled with residents.

The government troops also combed Cot Bak Krueng Siron, also
in Aceh Besar, after giving chase to a group of rebels who
wounded two Army Special Forces (Kopassus) soldiers during a
gunfight on Thursday.

GAM lost one of its local leaders, Din Teungku Tok, who was
killed along with his adjutant Teungku Mahdi in the latest armed
clash on Friday.

"Due to the difficult terrain, we could not evacuate the
bodies. We just buried them there," Joko said, adding that the
troops seized a rocket propeller, a Colt pistol and two homemade
pistols from Teungku Tok.

The TNI has had Mt. Siron under surveillance since December
2003, according to Joko. Government troops have since been
involved in several skirmishes around the mountain.

Sporadic gunfights also took place across the natural
resource-rich province on Friday.

In Blang Mangat area near Lhokseumawe, the military found an
explosive weighing 25 kilograms and claimed it belonged to GAM.

Local residents said they discovered the bomb on Friday
afternoon by accident.

First Lt. Ediyanto, the chief of the bomb squad, said the bomb
had been meant to be detonated on Thursday. He added that the
bomb was capable of destroying objects within a 150-meter radius.

"GAM failed to detonate the bomb after a group of residents
discovered the plan and reported it to us," he said.

A resident said that locals ran after the suspected GAM
members, who just left the bomb unattended.