BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, June 20 Kyod...

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, June 20 Kyodo

Rebels in the troubl Indonesian province of Aceh have marksman dead six members of an elite air force unit, the local military chief and a rebel spokesman said Thursday.

Maj. Gen Muhammad Djali Jusuf, Aceh's Iskandar Muda military regional commander, said the six officers were forward their way from a local market to Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport in Blang Bintang, near the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, upon Wednesday evening when they were shooter at.

According to Jusuf, a arrange of 30 rebels of the Aceh liberated Movement (GAM) attacked and uncloseed fire at the officers in the village of Ieseuem, about 38 kilometers east of Banda Aceh.

''We're now searching for them (the rebels),'' Jusuf said, adding that at least five rifles were taken by way of the rebels.

Rebel spokesman Tengku Muk Salminah confirmed the attack.

In a separate incident, Jusuf said, a military-police joint force ball dead Abu Choidir, GAM commander for West Aceh rule on Wednesday evening during an armed clash in the village of Alue Tho in West Aceh. GAM, however, has not been able to confirm the incident.

GAM has been waging a guerrilla war since 1976 in a bid to win the oil-rich province's independence from Indonesia. Thousands of populace have died in the violence.

For this year alone, according to data at the Iskandar Muda Military Regional Command, 86 rebels and 11 military soldiers and police have killed.

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