Banda Aceh – Government troops killed or captured up to 2,000 separatist rebels in the troubled province of Aceh during the first five months of an offensive aimed at crushing the 27-year-long insurgency, a military official said Monday.

Major General Bambang Darmono, chief of military operations in Aceh, however, admitted no senior Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders had been captured or killed.

"We are facing many obstacles with our effort to capture the senior GAM leaders because some local Acehnese have been protecting them," Darmono told a press conference, evaluating the first five months of military offensive in the war-torn province.

Darmono did not provide details on how many GAM rebels were killed out of the 2,000 total, but he hinted most were shot and killed since May 19, when Aceh was placed under martial law.

The military previously estimated GAM had a force of 5,000, of which about 3,000 were armed. During the last five months, military authorities have seized as many as 434 rifles belonging to the GAM, Darmono said.

Darmono said the military operation would shift to residential areas during the fasting month of Ramadan – due to begin early next week – to ensure security within the community. He added the situation in Aceh was "improving" lately, noting locals now dare to go out of their homes at night.

Human rights activists and the pro-referendum organization Aceh Referendum Information Centre (SIRA) have urged both the GAM and government troops to declare a truce during Ramadan, starting on October 27. SIRA said last week 470 civilians were killed in 2,677 cases of violence in the first four months of military operation in Aceh.