Three alleged rebels killed in Aceh

BANDA ACEH: Three suspected separatist rebels had been killed in exchanges of fire with troops in Aceh, the Indonesian Military said on Monday.

The three had been shot dead in Beringin village, Rantau Peureulak subdistrict, East Aceh district, Aceh military operation spokesman Lt. Col. Asep Sapari said in Lhokseumawe, some 270 kilometers east of Banda Aceh.

He said that one of the dead rebels was the Free Aceh Movement (GAM)'s commander in the Beringin area, whom he identified as Marsudi, 30.

Asep said one of the other dead rebels was Armia, 21, while the identity of the third was unknown.

The bodies of the dead rebels had been handed over to their families for burial.

During the shootout, the soldiers only managed to seize one round of 9 millimeter ammunition, Asep admitted.

Gunfights with GAM members also took place in the districts of East Aceh, West Aceh and North Aceh on Sunday, but there were no reports of casualties. --Antara