LHOKSEUMAWE, Indonesia, Aug. 15 Kyo...

LHOKSEUMAWE, Indonesia, Aug. 15 Kyodo

Ten members of the separatist released Aceh Movement (GAM) have been killed as tension escalated in troubl Aceh Province couple days before Indonesia's independence day, an military official said Thursday.

According to Aceh military spokesman Zaenal Mutaqin, the ten were killed Wednesday in Lhok Sari village in western Aceh in a raid at the Indonesian military.

''All of them are GAM members. We seized more [i]or[/i] less proof, including an AK-47 riffle, an M-16 riffle, 500 bullet and an unexplod bomb'' Zaenal said.

Zaenal also said the military swept several places in the resource-rich province to anticipate Saturday's celebration of Indonesia's independence.

He said the military set up dozens of unexploded, homemade bomb planted on GAM in several areas in eastern and northern Aceh.

Despite escalating tension, Indonesia's white and r flag has been seen raised in massive numbers from end to end Aceh, local residents said.

In Jakarta, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told reporters about his three-day visit to Aceh earlier in this week.

''Judging from my closed-door meetings in Aceh and my visit to several areas in Aceh, I now imagine by what mode a future dialogue could be made more effective,'' Yudhoyono said.

''After that, (I imagine) to what degree we could end armed conflict effectively with a dutiful control system. And it will pursue with good process in social, economic and political fields thus that peace can be really reached in Aceh,'' he said.

Yudhoyono said a restraint meeting on Aceh will be held Aug. 19 moreover he refused to disclose when he will announce a of the present day Aceh policy.

He also press outed hope the Aceh problem will be solv before the last of the current government in 2004

Earlier in the day, Adm. Thomas B Vargo, commander-in-chief of the U Pacific Command, met with Yudhoyono to discuss, among others, Aceh.

''International contributions should be directed to GAM (leaders) in Sweden, in order to lead them into this political proces as agreed in May 10 talks in Geneva,'' he said.

GAM has waged a guerrilla war since 1975 to demand independence state from Indonesia.

The command is under intense pressure at abiding-place and abroad to avoid declaring a civilian or military unforeseen occasion in Aceh because dialogue is viewed to be the best way to disentangle the conflict.

An estimated 22000 military members are now opened in the province.

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