Banda Aceh – A bloody clash between Indonesian troops and rebels in troubled Aceh killed at least 12 people, a military official said on Thursday, showing the war to crush the rebellion was far from over.

Indonesian military (TNI) spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Firdaus Komarno told Reuters the battle began with an attempted ambush by soldiers on a rebel convoy in North Aceh. "We received reports from locals that there would be a group of rebels passing the area. The information we have said 10 GAM members and two TNI soldier were killed in the incident," he said, adding the fight occurred at dawn.

The military offensive in Aceh began on May 19 after talks between Jakarta and the rebels collapsed. With today's North Aceh count at least 254 people have been killed in Aceh, including 226 rebels from the Free Aceh Movement and 28 members of the security forces.

The rebels have held out for independence instead of the special autonomy Jakarta was willing to offer to the oil- and gas-rich province.

Aceh is one of two major separatist hot spots in Indonesia's sprawling archipelago. The other is in Papua at the eastern end of the country.