LAKSAMANA.Net, August 31, 2004 10:34 PM
Eight 'Rebels' Killed in Aceh
Laksamana.Net - State troops have killed eight separatist rebels in three separate
shootouts in Aceh province, an official said Tuesday (31/8/04).
"The armed contacts in the districts of North Aceh, South Aceh and Pidie on Monday
claimed the lives of eight rebels," local military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Asep
Sapari was quoted as saying by state news agency Antara.
He said soldiers seized four assault rifles, a grenade launcher, hundreds of rounds of
ammunition, documents and various logistics items after the clashes.
The Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) in May last year launched a massive operation
to crush the outlawed Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Since then more than 2,200
alleged rebels have been killed, while about 3,600 have surrendered or been arrested,
according to military data.
Human rights activists say many of those killed in the resource-rich province, located
in northern Sumatra, were civilians.
In a rare acknowledgement of civilian casualties, TNI earlier this month said 147
civilians were killed and 155 wounded during the past 10 months in Aceh.
The military's claims of rebel casualties have been virtually impossible to verify as
authorities have imposed severe restrictions on the movement journalists in the
province.
Rights groups say at least 13,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since
GAM began its fight for independence in 1976.
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