Indonesian army kills Free Aceh military leader

The Indonesian army has killed the military leader of the Free Aceh Movement, a rebel army fighting for independence in Indonesia’s oil and gas-rich Aceh province since 1976.

An Indonesian army spokesman said 54-year-old Abdullah Syafei was shot dead during a raid on a rebel hideout in the isolated village of Sarah Panyang.

Mr Syafei’s wife and five other rebels were also killed in the raid.

A rebel spokesman said: "We still can’t verify the information, but even if he is dead, a thousand more will rise up to take his place."

The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) began fighting Indonesian rule in Aceh province in 1976 after years of civilian massacres at the hands of the Indonesian army.

These human rights abuses have continued until the present day, with Indonesian president Megawati Sukarnoputri recently ordering a new crackdown on the GAM.

At least 10,000 people, the vast majority of them civilians, have been killed in the 27-year-old war.

Syafei became military commander of the GAM in 1989 and was one of two rebel leaders recently invited to attend peace talks with Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh.