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Aceh Rebels Turn in More Weapons, Army Prepares Withdrawal

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The Indonesian military says it is preparing to withdraw about 1,200 troops from Aceh province - its first pullout in accordance with a peace deal reached with separatist rebels there.

The rebels turned in a second batch of more than 100 weapons Friday to international monitors in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh.

An agreement reached last month calls for the withdrawal of about half the government's 60,000 troops from the province and the disarming of the Free Aceh rebels by the end of the year.

On Thursday, the guerilla fighters turned in about 78 weapons.

More than 1,300 Indonesian police left Aceh on Wednesday ahead of the military troops withdrawals.

The peace deal aims to end 29 years of fighting in Aceh.

Some information in the story provided by AP.

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