Three dead in Aceh shooting

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Three people, including two soldiers, were killed in Aceh in a drive-by shooting.

"Two soldiers, identified as Cpl. Rustam and Cpl. P. Hutasoit were shot dead when gunmen opened fire from a passing vehicle in Juli Kedai Dua, Bireun regency on Wednesday," chief of infantry battalion 113/Jayasakti Lt. Col. Erda Bachtiar said on Thursday.

The two soldiers died instantly and a resident named Umar Sidi was also killed during the pursuit of the gunmen. There was no information reported about how he died.

Not long after the shooting, houses and shops in the area were set on fire. Several residents said that the arson was committed by security forces searching for the gunmen.

North Aceh police chief Adj. Comr. Wanto Sumardi blamed separatist rebels from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) for the shooting.

But North Aceh GAM commander, Teungku Darwis Djeunib, denied his men were to blame.

"All (our) troops have been pulled back to the base since Jan. 16. I think the attack was the result of an internal dispute between police and military," Darwis said.

"The decision to withdraw our troops is in line with orders from GAM leadership overseas. GAM troops are not allowed to leave (their base) or to engage in violence," he said, adding that GAM was trying to comply with the moratorium on violence signed in Switzerland recently. (50/edt)