Indonesian troops gunned down 12 suspected separatist rebels over the weekend as violence continues despite the government's decision to lift martial law in the troubled Aceh province.

Nine rebels were shot dead Saturday in gunbattles across the region on the northern tip of Sumatra island, said Lt. Col. Asep Sapari.

He identified one of the rebels as Ahmad Indra, a middle-ranking commander of the Free Aceh Movement. Three others were gunned down in separate clashes on Sunday, he said.

The rebels, who have waged a 27-year war for independence in the oil- and gas-rich province, couldn't be reached for comment. It's impossible to independently verify military claims about Aceh, as journalists are barred from parts of the province.

On May 19, the government downgraded a one-year state of martial law to a state of emergency in the province, but the military continues to maintain a large presence there.

Jakarta abandoned an internationally sponsored peace process with the rebels last year and launched a massive offensive to crush the Aceh rebels who have been fighting since 1976.

About 50,000 troops and paramilitary police were deployed there to confront an estimated 5,000 insurgents and sympathizers. More than 2,000 rebels have died in the fighting during the one-year operation, the military says. Human rights groups say most of the victims were civilians.