Troops intensify raids on GAM hideouts in Sabang
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
More than 150 military and police personnel continued the hunt on Monday for at least 15 separatist rebels in a mountainous area of Sabang regency, Aceh province, where the military earlier launched an air strike on their hideout.
Sabang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Ilsaruddin was quoted by Antara as saying the rebels were believed to be carrying at least 14 firearms.
The military, he said, launched the air strike on Sunday in the Cotgoh Leumo Mate region of Weh island, north of the provincial capital Banda Aceh, using two Bronco aircraft.
He said none of the island's residents had been injured in the attack, and that security was under control.
Sabang Military chief Lt. Col. Joko Warsito confirmed the deployment of personnel from the Army, Navy and National Police in the area.
AFP news agency quoted Warsito as saying the air strike only involved 12.7 mm caliber guns.
"They were aimed at breaking up (the rebel) concentration so that the Army could land," he said.
Officials said two warships and 150 soldiers and police were involved in the operation on Weh, which lies 31 kilometers north of Banda Aceh. The target of the attack was 17 kilometers west of Sabang port.
Separately, two civilians and nine suspected members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) were killed over the weekend in fighting.
Aceh Military spokesman Lt. Col. Ahmad Yani Basuki said on Monday that troops raiding a suspected separatist hideout in Pidie district shot dead four rebels.
About six hours later, two suspected rebels were shot dead in a clash with troops in North Aceh regency. At about the same time, marines shot dead another rebel in Bireun district, Basuki said.
Two soldiers were wounded in a battle with rebels in a swampy area of North Aceh regency and are being treated at the military hospital in Lhokseumawe, Basuki said.
Troops shot dead a guerrilla during a clash in the Aceh Jaya district at about dusk on Sunday, while a soldier was wounded in a clash with rebels in Aceh Besar regency, he said.
An M-16 rifle and more than 100 bullets were seized from a guerrilla shot dead in West Aceh regency early on Sunday, he said.
Three suspected rebels shot dead a civilian at his home in East Aceh on Sunday, the military spokesman said, adding that rebels abducted three civilians, all employees of the state electricity company, in North Aceh district the same day.
Villagers in Banda Sakti, on the outskirts of Lhokseumawe, on Sunday found the body of an unidentified man that showed indications of torture.
The military says more than 900 GAM rebels have been killed since a major operation began on May 19. Sixty-six members of the security forces have died.
More than 1,800 rebels have been arrested or have surrendered during the operation to crush the movement, which is estimated at 5,000 guerrillas.
Separately, martial law administrator Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya said on Monday he would report to Jakarta the results of a recent meeting held to evaluate the four-month imposition of martial law in Aceh.
The meeting was attended by all of the regents and mayors in Aceh, as well as Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh.
Puteh said the military operation should continue in order to maintain security in the province.