Banda Aceh, June 20: Separatist rebels in Aceh have ambushed and killed six soldiers in what the military today called its worst loss in a single incident since its operations resumed in the province last year. The six air force personnel were shot dead in an ambush by free Aceh movement (gam) rebels at Krueng Raya 30 kilometres of Banda Aceh yesterday, said military spokesman Major Zaenal Muttaqin. "This is the single biggest loss suffered by the Indonesian armed forces since the beginning of our military operation here last year," he told a news agency.
Muttaqin said witnesses reported that the attack was a carried out by some 30 Gam rebels, who also stole five automatic rifles and several bulletproof vests. The servicemen had been stationed at the Sultan Iskandar Mudaa Irport, A military spokesman in Jakarta, Major Eddie Sulistiade, described the deaths as "a great loss" and said the killers would be hunted.
But he said the military had no plans to send more troops to Aceh, adding that the deaths might have been cause by the troops' negligence.
The international crisis group in a March report said Gam's power had shrunk since the start of the military offensive in spring 2001. The movement said it controlled only 30-40 percent of the province compared to 60-70 percent last year.
There are currently about 25,000 to 30,000 members of the security forces in Aceh, including 17,000 soldiers, according to the group. Bureau Report