Jakarta – An army soldier kidnapped Sunday morning by an armed group in East Aceh was released in Cot Keh Village in Peureulak on Monday morning.

Chief Cpl. Saiful Afwani was released on a village road and was picked up by members of the Aceh Transitional Committee and intelligence officers of the East Aceh Military District Command. "He was alone, no kidnapper was sighted," said Chief Sgt. Razali, one of the intelligence officers.

Saiful later told reporters that he was kidnapped by a group of five men, who carried one AK-47 and two M-16 rifles. The kidnappers tied his arms and legs, and blindfolded him. "I was beaten up twice," he said.

Saiful was kidnapped in Leube Village, East Aceh City, on Sunday morning.

Saiful's commander, North Aceh Military district chief Lt. Col. Yoseph Sudrajat, said earlier that a dissident group of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatists was behind the incident. Yoseph detained two GAM top officials as insurance for the hostage. (dre)