'War in Aceh needs 50,000 combatants'

'War in Aceh needs 50,000 combatants'

The Indonesian Military has revealed that its plans to crush Free
Aceh Movement separatists would involve 50,000 troops and take
just six months but would minimize civilian casualties.

A peace deal between the two sides, engaged in a war that has
claimed at least 10,000 lives since 1976, is in tatters but both
sides have agreed to return to the negotiating table.

Iskandar Muda (Aceh) Military Commander Maj. Gen. Djali Yusuf
said in Jakarta on Tuesday that the huge number of troops was
needed to combat the guerrilla tactics that would most likely be
adopted by the separatists.

"GAM now has around 5,000 members. Ideally, each rebel will be
faced by 10 soldiers. But off course we will not ask for that
much," Djali said, adding the military currently had 26,000
soldiers in the province.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) had mapped out the targets of
operation in order to minimize civilian fatalities, but it would
still take about six months to break GAM, Djali said.

"We have to minimize civilian casualties. It will be
impossible for us to conduct massive attacks so it will be a
guerrilla war.

"We have all the information that we need regarding their
number, activities and leaders."

To contain gunrunning, the TNI had increased naval patrols
around Aceh.

Aceh military spokesman Lt. Col. Firdaus Komarno said marines
killed three suspected separatist rebels in a gunfight in waters
off East Aceh.

The marines fired on the alleged GAM members after the
guerrillas responded to warning shots by opening fire, Komarno
said, adding that 12 Kalashnikov assault rifles and thousands of
bullets were found on the boat.