Seven killed in clashes in Aceh
Seven killed in clashes in Aceh
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Seven people were killed as Army troops
and police personnel clashed with members of the separatist Free
Aceh Movement (GAM) in separate incidents on Thursday.
Both the Indonesian Military and GAM acknowledged the clash on
Friday.
Chief of the security and order operation Adj. Comr. Agus
Dwiyanto said on Friday that Army troops raided a GAM base in the
village of Keude Dua in Idi district, East Aceh.
"A GAM member, Abdul Rahman, 25, was shot dead in a 15-minute
shootout during the raid," Agus said. "Two rifles and some
ammunition were seized."
GAM spokesman for East Aceh Ishak Daud confirmed the incident
but accused the Army of also shooting four civilians. "One
civilian, Muhammad Jubir, 35, was killed."
In the regency of Pidie, three members of a family, Diana, 60,
Ambiah, 35, and Fajar, 2, were slain on Thursday by unidentified
people in their residence in Cot Jaya village of the Simpang Tiga
district.
Ambiah was the wife of First Sgt. Zulkifli, Fajar was their
son and Diana, Zulkifli's mother-in-law. Zulkifli was killed by
unidentified people last year.
Pidie Military District chief Lt. Col. Supartodi believed GAM
was behind the killing of the three. This was later denied by
local GAM spokesperson Abu Razak.
"GAM is not against civilians, moreover women and children."
Following the killing of Zulkifli's family, Army personnel
combed the area of Alue Bubot in Bandar Baru district, believed
to be the hideout of GAM commander Abdullah Syafiie.
The area is some 20 kilometers from the house of Zulkifli's
wife.
Abu Razak said that the Army was involved in a fierce gun
battle with GAM members. He claimed no GAM members were killed.
On Friday morning, Indonesian Red Cross staff along with the
staff of the Lamno community health center in West Aceh
discovered and removed two unidentified bodies.
The bodies with gunshot wounds were found on the side of the
highway in Gunung Geureutee, around 50 kilometers south of Banda
Aceh. (50/sur)