The Indonesian military is continuing to wage war with separatist rebels in the hills of Aceh as world leaders put the finishing touches to a multi-billion-dollar aid and investment package for the devastated province.

As international military and medical teams stepped up relief efforts yesterday in Aceh, where the tsunami killed up to 100,000 people, an Indonesian military spokesman confirmed that only two-thirds of the military's 40,000-strong force in the province was taking part in the relief effort while the remaining third was engaged in military operations against insurgents.
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"They are still conducting an incessant military operation," a rebel spokesman, Teuku Jamaika, told The Australian from his base somewhere in the Aceh hills. "There's no difference between before and after the tsunami."
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Colonel Djazairi Nachrowi, the head of information analysis at the national military headquarters, said there had been no ceasefire, despite an offer from rebel leaders exiled in Sweden to suspend hostilities until Aceh had recovered.

"At first we thought positively, that GAM (the Free Aceh Movement) had a conscience, and would not use the situation like this, but it turned out they held up (aid transport)," Colonel Nachrowi said.

"We are not offensive, we are defensive."

There had been no outright attacks on the rebels, he said.

"Some TNI (Indonesian military) troops tried to escort a truck filled with aid," he said.

"When they were on their way there was an indication they would be held up, so there was an exchange of fire. It's not TNI attacking GAM, but an exchange of fire because humanitarian aid was held up."

"We continue to launch raids into suspected GAM (Free Aceh Movement) areas and our vigilance remains high "