Jakarta – Unidentified men shot dead two soldiers in two separate attacks in the troubled Indonesian province of Aceh, reports said here Saturday.

Soldier Rudi Sumianto was shot dead by gunmen as he and another soldier were riding a motorcycle in the Cold Mesjid village, North Aceh district, on Thursday, the Antara news agency said. Sumianto died on the spot, while the other soldier was wounded.

In a separate incident later Thursday, another group of men shot dead Second Sergeant Purwanto in Kubu Mesjid, North Aceh. A civilian was also wounded in the shooting, Antara said.

Another shooting incident took place on the main highway linking the Aceh capital of Banda Aceh and Medan, the capital of the neighbouring province of North Sumatra.

Some men shot at passing vehicles in North Aceh district after dark on Thursday, injuring one driver in the foot, the agency said.

The attacks and shooting were the latest to hit the district of North Aceh, one of three Aceh districts most affected by clashes between soldiers and separatist rebels.

Press reports said at least 11 people had been killed by unidentified groups in Aceh since Monday. Rebels also set fire to hundreds of houses, schools and public facilities in Aceh in recent months.

In the most recent incident, a television relay station and a telephone transmission station in Pidie district was set on fire early this week.