Troops raid rebel dens

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Joint personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the police raided three houses believed to be headquarters of Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels in North Aceh and West Aceh over the past two days.

A spokesman for the joint team, Adj. Sr. Comr. Sad Harunantyo, told Antara on Monday that during the raids, which were conducted on three separate occasions, security personnel also seized explosives belonging to the rebels.

One rebel was killed during an exchange of fire with security troops, Harunantyo claimed.

Among the seized items were three homemade bombs, five detonators, hundreds meters of wire, 172 bullets, two packages of TNT weighing 100 grams and 500 grams respectively and three GAM flags.

"We suspect that several field commanders of the separatist group were shot because we found fresh blood spots," he said.

No statement has been issued by GAM in connection with the raids.