Associated Press – Sixteen people were killed and eight injured in several clashes between rebels and government troops in Aceh province, the authorities said on Thursday.

Four suspected insurgents were killed in a gun battle in North Aceh on Wednesday, said local military chief Lieutenant Colonel Suyatno. Four of his soldiers were wounded by a grenade thrown by one of the rebels, he added.

"They were members of GAM, because we confiscated four guns from them," Colonel Suyatno said, referring to the separatisst Free Aceh Movement. However, rebel spokesman Ismail Syahputra claimed the victims were peasants working on a plantation. He also said several soldiers were killed in the clash.

Also in North Aceh, two civilians were found dead on Wednesday after being kidnapped by unidentified gunmen, police chief Lieutenant Colonel Syafei Aksal said. Colonel Aksal said a police officer wounded in a grenade attack last month died in hospital on Wednesday.

In neighboring Pidie regency, villagers found three unidentified burned bodies, said local police chief Lieutenant Colonel Endang Emiqail Bagus.

Meanwhile, Pidie military chief Lieutenant Colonel Iskandar said his troops shot dead two guerilla rebels in a gunfight on Wednesday.

In South Aceh, villagers found two unidentified bodies and brought them to a local hospital, a physician at the local hospital said. Two other bodies were found in East Aceh and Bireuem. Wednesday's killings, brought the death toll in this week's violence to at least 30.