Tension envelops North Aceh after woman hurt in gunfight

JAKARTA (JP): Anxiety prevailed in the North Aceh district of Matangkuli, near Lhokseumawe, on Tuesday following an overnight gunfight involving security authorities and armed separatist rebels.

Antara reported that a woman, identified as Mursyidah, 33, suffered gunshot wounds to her thigh and abdomen and is now receiving intensive medical care at a private hospital in North Aceh's capital of Lhokseumawe.

It was not known who shot the woman.

Special riot troops sent from Jakarta are pursuing the armed group, who shot dead a civilian security force member (Kamra) on Monday. The group also injured another Kamra member and an officer of the mobile brigade.

Kamra member M. Yusuf was killed by a group of men who shot him from a jeep near Geudong market in Samudera district, 15 kilometers east of Lhokseumawe, at noon. Hours later another armed gang shot Kamra member Abdul Muthaleb and Second Sgt. Frans, who was on duty at Matangkuli Police Station.

Earlier on Monday the rebel group burned down an elementary school in Sidomulyo subdistrict, also in North Aceh.

Commander of the riot troops Col. Ridhwan Karim said his soldiers were conducting searches of residences in their hunt for the rebels.

"We are searching houses suspected of harboring the group members, but have checked ourselves from physically hurting their occupants," Ridhwan said.

He said his squad set on fire an electronics service center after nobody answered their calls. The soldiers found the building was empty.

On Tuesday, Ridhwan, Aceh Police chief Col. Bahrumsyah and chief of the Lilawangsa Military Command Col. Syafnil Amren visited Muthaleb and Frans who are being treated at Lhokseumawe Military Hospital.

Ridhwan denied that security authorities failed to anticipate the attacks.

"They are now at large, but I believe we will capture them as soon as possible. We have lost our patience now," a visibly upset Ridhwan said.

"If strict measures are not implemented, they may one day kill school students in the way they shot teachers in Pidie."

Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh are the most volatile territories in the province, in which a longtime separatist rebel movement increased its activities in the past year.

More than 100 people, including 41 civilians, have been killed in Aceh since May.

The mounting violence has forced about 21,000 people in the Pidie district of Tangse to seek refuge in neighboring areas, as well as East Aceh and North Aceh. They are among thousands who fled their troubled villages.

Suara Pembaruan afternoon daily reported on Tuesday that 30,000 refugees have flocked to the Pidie capital. (amd)