Aid workers in the Indonesian province of Aceh have found 27 bodies - taking the number of people killed or found dead in the region since Friday to more than 50.
The bloodshed comes despite weekend talks in Geneva between Indonesian government officials and separatist rebels.
The talks ended yesterday with a commitment from both sides to continue working toward peace.
More talks will be held in September.
Indonesian Red Cross officials yesterday found 27 decomposing bodies with slash wounds on the outskirts of a village in central Aceh.
A military spokesman blames separatist rebels for the killings but the claim has been denied by rebel leaders.
In a separate incident, troops shot and killed a rebel in West Aceh.
The military claims four bodies were found nearby.
On Friday, police killed 20 separatist guerrillas when they attacked a rebel stronghold.
Rebels from the Free Aceh Movement have been fighting for 26 years for an independent homeland on the northern tip of Sumatra.
The latest deaths bring to at least 872 the number of people killed in Aceh this year.
Disclaimer
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- © ABC