Seven killed in latest violence in Aceh

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.