Jakarta – At least 150 civilians have died, 80 have been wounded, and another 71 have gone missing since the government launched the integrated operation in the troubled province of Aceh on May 19, authorities say.
Aside from civilian casualties, 325 members of separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), 28 government troops, and four police personnel have been killed in the campaign aimed at flushing out GAM rebels in the resource-rich province.
Martial law administration spokesman Col. Ditya Soedarsono said on Friday that 55 members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and 15 police personnel were also wounded, while 258 GAM members were arrested, 256 of them had surrendered to the authorities.
Besides human casualties, police also said on Friday that 535 school buildings had been burned, with the last arson attack occurring on July 2 at three schools in North Aceh. At least 224 houses, 11 offices, three public facilities, two vital facilities, five bridges, two motorcycles and 62 cars have also been set on fire.
The present conflict began on May 19 when the government launched a military operation to crack down on the secessionist GAM, which has long been fighting for separation from Indonesia.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Second Pvt. Achmad Syarifuddin, a TNI soldier with the 18th Trisula Infantry Brigade, is believed to have died of poisoning in Sidomulyo area, Nisam district in North Aceh.
"Achmad was suffering from high fever, vomiting and diarrhea after he consumed water from a well belonging to a local here. Before that, he also ate nutmeg fruit in the area," the commander of Malang's (East Java) Trisula Brigade Lt. Col. Deddy Kusmayadi told reporters at his command post in Blang Rantau area, Sawang district. He was admitted to a nearby military medical clinic, but died on his way to the clinic. A post mortem examination has provided evidence that Achmad was poisoned.
Deddy said a similar case also befell one of his subordinates recently, who died two days after he drank coffee that was offered by a local resident in the area.
TNI accused GAM of deliberately using poison in their struggle against the TNI. Deddy said the TNI had found a document in the Nisam district, which revealed that GAM had a poison expert named Elyas Rachman, who had died in a gun contact with TNI recently.
In Lhokseumawe, the trial of three TNI soldiers accused of raping four women was adjourned until Tuesday next week due to technical reasons, said a Lhokseumawe state court official.
Muhifuddin, a Lhokseumawe court official, said two military officers dropped by his office on Thursday afternoon, telling a court official that the military court had canceled a plan to use the Lhokseumawe court on Friday morning. The military officers said the TNI was not ready to commence the trial.