Seven killed in latest violence in Aceh

Ibnu Mat Noor, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

At least seven people have been killed in the latest spate of violence since Friday in the restive province of Aceh, local authorities said on Monday.

Four of the victims, including policeman First Brig. Faisal, were shot dead from Friday through Sunday in Sanggeu village, Pidie regency.

Pidie Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sunardi blamed the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) for the deaths.

Rebels also killed three villagers -- Bakhtiar Abdullah, 50, Syafiie Hanafiah, 50, and Muhammad Diah, 40 -- in Meureudu subdistrict, Sunardi added.

Pidie GAM spokesman Abu Razak denied the accusations. "We stayed in the camp to commemorate Idul Adha (Day of Sacrifice) with our families. So how would it have been possible for us to kill others?"

Another victim was 40-year-old Musnaini Sofyan, who was shot dead on Friday by two people on a motorcycle in Paya Cut village in Peusangan subdistrict, Bireuen regency.

The attackers took Musnaini's motorcycle and her gold jewelry, according to an eyewitness.

Abbas, a 50-year-old resident from Pulau Kayu village in Blang Pidie subdistrict, South Aceh, was killed in a separate incident on Saturday.

On Sunday, the body of 38-year-old Bakhtiar was found with shot wounds in Paya Lipah village, Peusangan subdistrict in Bireuen. Ali Rasyid, a volunteer with the local Red Cross office, said the body had been taken to his office.

An estimated 10,000 people have been killed since GAM began to fight for a free Islamic state in 1976. Two hundred have been killed this year alone.

In 2001, security forces killed at least 200 rebels and arrested some 250 others, the military has said.

Rights activists claim that least 1,700 people were killed in Aceh last year.