Banda Aceh – A rebel commander was among five guerillas killed in new violence in Indonesia's Aceh province, where the government is trying to crush an insurgency, the military said Thursday.

Soldiers shot dead the 26-year-old Free Aceh Movement district commander during a skirmish on Wednesday, said Aceh military spokesman Asep Sapari.

He said the other four rebels were killed in separate incidents over the past two days. He also accused the rebels of abducting eight people in the eastern part of the province on Tuesday. Fifteen rebels had also surrendered to the government over the past two days, he said.

No officials from the rebel group, which has fought for independence for the energy-rich province since 1976, were immediately reachable for comment.

Security forces say more than 2,200 rebels have been killed since the offensive was launched in May 2003. At that time the military put the number of guerrillas at 5,000.