Indonesian troops said they had uncovered an arms cache and a weapons factory in Aceh province, where soldiers and police have been battling separatist rebels since May.

Soldiers found weapons including a home-made grenade launcher, guns, rifles and ammunition at Nisam in North Aceh, provincial military spokesman Ahmad Yani Basuki said yesterday.

The discovery was made after the questioning of a detained member of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). He said troops found a weapons factory the same day at Pantee Cermin in West Aceh and seized weapons and gun-making equipment.

Two guerrillas were shot dead, three were captured and two surrendered over the weekend, Basuki said. He said a soldier was shot and wounded during a clash at Teunom in Aceh Jaya district yesterday and was rushed to a military hospital.

The military on May 19 declared martial law in the province and launched an all-out offensive to wipe out GAM, which has been fighting for independence since 1976.

More than 1,100 guerrillas have been killed since then, while another 2,000 have been arrested or surrendered and almost 500 weapons have been seized, the military has said.