The Indonesian military said soldiers have shot and captured alive a rebel "governor" in Aceh province, marking the first arrest of a senior rebel leader since a major offensive began in May.
Dailami, 32, the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) governor of Central Aceh, was seriously wounded by government troops on the slopes of a mountain in Bireuen district Tuesday, said Major General Bambang Darmono, who heads the Indonesian offensive in Aceh. Dailami's wife, Suryati, 27, was also wounded, Darmono said.
They were to be airlifted from the mountain area by helicopter later on Wednesday, the general told reporters. GAM's chief spokesman could not immediately be reached for confirmation of Dailami's capture.
Military sources said troops were combing the slopes of Geuleungoh Mountain when they came upon three people gathering water from a river. "Indonesian Armed Forces troops were convinced they were GAM, so immediately fired warning shots. But the three of them fled so the targets were fired on," said an officer at the scene.
One bullet went through Dailami's left chest while another lodged in the right side of his wife's chest, the officer said. Their nine-year-old child was unhurt, he said.
After troops seized a satellite telephone and a book listing telephone numbers of GAM leaders in Aceh and abroad, Dailami confessed to his role in the rebel movement, the military said.
As of Monday, the military said 875 rebels had been killed since the military on May 19 began its effort to wipe out GAM by launching its biggest military offensive since the 1975 invasion of East Timor. More than 1,880 rebels have been captured or surrendered during the same period, the military said.
The military and police say they have lost 66 men, including a soldier who died Tuesday during a firefight in the interior of North Aceh. Four unidentified men suspected of being rebels died during the same exchange of fire, Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Yani Basuki said.
GAM has been fighting for an independent Aceh on the northern tip of Sumatra since 1976.