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The Indonesian Military (TNI) on Monday launched air strikes in the rebellious province of Aceh only hours after the government imposed martial law in the province.
Supported with two ground-support Broncos and four Britain-made Hawks, the military sent first missiles in the mountainous area of Cot Keueng in Aceh Besar regency early on Monday, local media reports said.
Following the early attacks, television footage showed heavy smoke went up in the middle of the jungle in Cot Keueng, believed to be the shelters of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM).
Nearly 500 army soldiers parachuted from six Hercules transport planes in Cot Keueng, which is located only 20 km away from the provincial capital of Banda Aceh.
The soldiers were part of the army's rapid strike unit assigned to pave the way for further penetration by some 30,000 soldiers already deployed in Aceh.
The government decided to launch military operation after the peace talks in Tokyo on Saturday failed to achieve peace settlement.
(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2003)
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