In Aceh's western district, government troops have clashed with separatist rebels as the military continues to boost its strength, sending more troops and and police. So far, 17 civilians and five rebels have reportedly been killed in the battle and some 200-schools torched. But each side is blaming the other for the destruction.

Presenter/Interviewer: Linda LoPresti

Speakers: Tim Palmer, Indonesia correspondent reporting from Aceh.

Palmer: Well there is some confusion about who is a civilian and who isn't. Obviously, when we hear the claims from the GAM, the Free Aceh Movement that 17 civilians have been killed in the first two days, the government saying that it's only responsible for five deaths, and claiming they are all rebel guerillas ... er, it hasn't been possible to confirm the casualties on either side at this point.

But in addition to those early figures, I've heard reports directly from the field from a GAM spokesman near Bireun, claiming that an Army operation swooped in through villages close to Bireun today, that that ten civilians and two GAM fighters were killed in a single village after it was hit by a serious attack by TNI soldiers.

Again, we haven't been able to confirm that at all. Reporters have been stopped from getting into that area, but it's one of a number of heavier attacks today as the army swept through that part of the north Aceh regency of Aceh province. In other attacks, the main road linking Banda Aceh with Lhokseumawe, was closed all together for a number of hours after an ambush which we presume was carried out by GAM fighters, hit a series of trucks and busses and left them blazing along the road.

Lo Presti: We've heard a military spokesman being quoted today as saying that an operation is under way. Any idea what that might mean? Does that mean a major attack is imminent?

Palmer: There has been discussions that there was going to be a major assault, but I think what they may be referring to is this series of sweeping operations close to Bireun, and near the town of Sidli. We did hear some reports that there were some Kopasus Special Forces tied up in that operation. They were spearheading it, although one report I heard from that area suggested that Kopasus soldiers had said, while they engaged the enemy, they were unable to capture those forces that they were fighting with. But again they didn't specify casualties at that point.

Lo Presti: From a reporting perspective, how difficult is it to get information, given that Jakarta has put a muzzle on the media, refusing any separatist rebels from being interviewed?

Palmer: There's not much that Jakarta can actually do about it unless they are actually monitoring the press. At this stage, they haven't stopped us from being in contact with the GAM rebels because we've simply been unable to. Over the past few years, GAM has set themselves up with satellite phones and as well as simply using cell phones to speak to reporters, it is of course much more difficult than it was even a matter of even two weeks ago to physically meet up with members of GAM. They fear that reporters might be tailed in by Army or that they may be located some other way. But while the governmnet is trying to restrict reporters from getting any viewpoint from the rebels, it's pretty much not possible for them to do so unless they're determined that they are going to monitor reporters and then act by possibly throwing them out of the province, if they don't like what they hear. Now there are some suggestions that the government's going to tighten up accreditation over the next few days, and that reporters will be brought under the provisions of martial law, a curfew under the martial law, which again has been suggested may be implemented in the coming hours, but it's not quite clear how the government intends that to work.