Indonesian army set for second Aceh troop pullout

JAKARTA, Monday (Reuters) Indonesia's military will begin withdrawing 6,000 more soldiers from Aceh this week under the second phase of a landmark peace pact ending one of Asia's longest conflicts, a spokesman said on Monday.

Aceh military spokesman Erie Soetiko said 650 troops would leave the province on Tuesday, the same day the armed forces expect former rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to complete the second phase of its weapons handover.

The three-decade insurgency on the northern tip of Sumatra island has killed 15,000 people, mostly civilians. The two sides were pushed back to peace talks in the wake of a massive tsunami on Dec. 26 that left around 170,000 Acehnese dead or missing.

"In total in the second phase we will withdraw another 10 battalions, or around 6,000 people," Soetiko said.

Troops on Tuesday would leave from the port town of Lhokseumawe and the second phase should be finished by Oct. 24, he said. Among those going will be units from the army's feared Kopassus special forces.