Troops intensify raids on GAM hideouts in Sabang
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.