Louise Williams, Jakarta – Indonesian security forces opened fire on rioters in the northern Aceh city of Lhokseumawe yesterday, killing two, and injuring at least a dozen. The shootings threaten the Habibie Government's reconciliation efforts in a province already angered by serious human rights abuses under the former Soeharto regime.

A police spokesman said two people had died and several were injured when troops opened fire in the key industrial city as rioting flared for a second consecutive day. The rioting in Lhokseumawe was sparked when hundreds of people gathered to jeer and throw stones at more than 650 troops who were withdrawing from the town as part of the Government's reconciliation effort in the troubled province.

The deputy police chief, Major Amrin Remico, said the clashes came as hundreds of people attempted to loot shops and offices damaged in Monday's rioting. He said the unrest was reported to have spread to four other areas of north Aceh – Samudra, Peusangan, Jeumpa and Baktia.

Locals contacted by telephone in Lhokseumawe said crowds had gathered to jeer the departing troops, throwing stones and yelling insults as they left the town. The protest then deteriorated into a rampage through the streets, as mobs torched shops and government offices, and looted basic foodstuffs.

Dr Fadli Hanafiah, in charge of the local hospital's emergency ward, said 12 people had been brought in injured after the riots and two had died.

Indonesian newspapers reported that up to 150 prisoners escaped from the local jail during the riots. After tearing down steel gates, crowds raided the jail and helped dozens of prisoners flee, a military spokesman, Colonel Dasiri Musnar, told reporters. Guards fired warning shots, but managed to force only 30 inmates back to their cells.

A human rights lawyer accused agent provocateurs of fuelling the violence in an attempt to create fears of chaos when the military pulls out. "The people are suspicious this is a set-up, this was provoked so the military will have a reason not to withdraw any more troops," said Mr Abdul Rahman Gani, of the Legal Aid Foundation.