Aceh – Troops shot a man to death as he ripped down an Indonesian flag in Aceh province Sunday, police and residents said Monday.

North Aceh police chief Syafei Aksal said soldiers killed the civilian in Lhoksukon district, near the city of Lhokseumawe, about 1,750 kilometers northwest of Jakarta.

Angry villagers have been tearing down red and white Indonesian flags put up ahead of national independence celebrations Tuesday. They have replaced them with red separatist flags that carry Islam's crescent and star symbol.

Residents in Bate Ilik village, also near Lhokseumawe, ripped up thousands of Indonesian flags and burned them in a massive pile over the weekend. In retaliation, soldiers have been busy tearing down separatist flags.