Banda Aceh – Indonesian police shot dead three civilians Monday in the village of Julok in East Aceh Regency in Aceh Province, the representative of a joint committee set up by the government and a major separatist group said Tuesday.

Amni bin Marzuki said police in East Aceh shot dead civilians in a bid to provoke Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels there to appear as they failed to find GAM hideouts during a sweep for rebels.

Amni is a representative from the GAM side to the Joint Committee on Security Modalities that was set up under the peace agreement between Jakarta and the GAM rebels in May.

Separately, Aceh Besar Regency police Chief Supt. Saqyed Husaeni accused GAM of kidnapping three police officers in the regency. The policemen have been missing since last Thursday. "I don't know if the three officers are still alive or dead already," Husaeni said. GAM denied any role in the incident.

More than 200 people have died since May when Jakarta and GAM agreed to extend a cease-fire until January 15 to find a negotiated solution to end the conflict in Aceh where thousands have died in a 24-year insurgency.