Banda Aceh – Two policemen and a soldier have been killed by separatist rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province, police have confirmed here on Friday.

"Six Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels shot dead two members of the police elite Mobile Brigade in an ambush in the Liang Pangidi area of Southeast Aceh district on Thursday," a police spokesman said, as quoted by AFP. The two were patrolling the area at the time of the ambush, he said, adding the rebels had taken one of the policemen's handguns.

In another incident on Thursday, rebels shot dead a military intelligence officer in the Krieng Gadeng area of Pidie district, said a policeman, who declined to be identified. Local GAM spokesman Abu Razak said angry troops had retaliated by killing a civilian. However, the police source said he had no knowledge of the alleged killing of a civilian.

Aceh has been the scene of bloody violence involving government forces and armed rebels from GAM, which has been fighting since 1976 for an independent homeland.

More than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Aceh in the conflict, with rights activists estimating the death toll for this year alone at around 1,000.