Jakarta – Indonesian police are to go on the offensive against separatist rebels in the troubled province of Aceh following an increase in attacks on security forces in the province.

"We will not yield to armed civilians in Aceh. They will be dealt with sternly," national police chief General Rusmanhadi told the Media Indonesia daily.

He said security personnel could no longer offord to use defensive and tactics in the face of rebels' mounting, often fatal, attacks on them.

"We need to increase [our presence] and at the same time change the pattern of operations," he said without elaborating.

The police chief said any offensive by security personnel would certainly trigger more attacks by rebels. "But that's all right. We will deal with them for the good and peace of the Aceh people and the territory," he said.

The separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which has been fighting for an independent Aceh since 1976, claimed Monday to have killed 10 police and soldiers over the past week.

The victims included three members of the elite police mobile brigade unit who were killed in an ambush by the rebels on Sunday in West Aceh.