2 Indonesian soldiers killed, allegedly by ex-rebels, in Aceh

Gunmen believed to be former separatist rebels have kidnapped and killed two Indonesian soldiers in the northernmost Indonesian province of Aceh, a local military commander said Tuesday.

The soldiers were kidnapped late Monday afternoon and a joint military and police team found them dead Tuesday morning in a forest in North Aceh Regency, according to North Aceh Military Commander Lt. Col. Infiwan Rosandriyanto.

“Their hands were tied behind their backs and their bodies were full of gunshot wounds. They were only wearing underwear when found,” Infiwan said.

The two soldiers were on a mission to search for a group of former combatants of the now-defunct Free Aceh Movement, locally known as GAM, who have frequently “terrorized” local residents, Infiwan said.

They were ambushed by the gunmen on Monday while on the move.

GAM had waged a guerrilla war since 1976 in a bid to wrest the oil-rich province’s independence from Indonesia. Thousands of people have died in the violence.

A huge tsunami that struck Aceh in December 2004 and killed 170,000 in Aceh spurred the rebels and Jakarta to conclude a peace deal in Helsinki eight months later.

The province and its regencies and districts are led mostly by former GAM combatants.

Many unskilled, uneducated former GAM members still live in poverty and make a living by extorting money from residents and businesspeople.

==Kyodo

Category: Daily Witness, National