Three dead in Aceh shooting

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)