Thousands of residents hunt down Aceh rebels

Thousands of residents hunt down Aceh rebels

Agence France-Presse, Banda Aceh, Aceh

Some 3,000 residents in Indonesia's war-torn Aceh
province on Monday launched a massive hunt for separatists in the
province after a local religious leader was allegedly abducted by
the rebel group, residents said.

The hunt for the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels -- which is
supported by the military -- was carried out by residents from
seven villages in the Tangan-tangan area of West Aceh, a resident
who asked not to be named told reporters.

The villagers, armed with daggers, decided to take matters
into their own hands following the abduction of a 60-year old
religious leader in the area by three unindentified men last
Saturday, the resident said.

The hunt began with residents scouring areas covering the Suak
and Kila mountains early on Monday. As of Monday night, no
reports of clashes between residents and the rebels had been
reported.

Capt. Syahrial, a local military chief, said the presence of
his soldiers in the group was to "protect the residents because
they are facing armed GAM rebels."

Also on Monday, humanitarian workers said they found three
bodies bearing gunshot and torture wounds in the Kuala Batee area
of West Aceh on Sunday.

Soldiers on Sunday shot dead a man believed to be a rebel in
the Kuta Makmur area of North Aceh, said military spokesman Ahmad
Yani Basuki on Monday.

Jakarta unilaterally pulled out of a peace agreement with GAM,
imposed martial law and launched the military operation after the
breakdown of last-ditch peace talks in Tokyo. It accused GAM of
not respecting the pact.

The military's latest figures released on Sunday show a total
of 653 rebels killed since May 19 but do not list civilian
casualties. GAM says many of those killed were civilians.

The military says more than 1,400 rebels have been arrested or
surrendered during the same period while the army and police lost
a total of 55 men.