Army chief General Ryamizard Ryacudu said the rebel deaths had occurred over the past two weeks in Aceh, where a decades-long independence struggle is overshadowing a huge effort to help thousands of disaster survivors.

Ryacudu's typically outspoken claim came as the government and the rebels explored ways of reviving a truce in the province that collapsed in May 2003, plunging the area into new conflict.

It also underscores comments by US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz earlier this week, that the powerful military may need to be pushed aside if it continues to interfere with attempts to secure peace.

Ryacudu said his men had been "forced" to kill the rebels from the Free Aceh Movement, known by their Indonesian acronym GAM, because the guerrillas were plundering relief for tsunami victims.

Aceh bore the brunt of the December 26 disaster which killed at least 166,000 Indonesians. While a massive foreign aid operation has been launched, authorities have imposed strict restrictions, citing a threat of rebel attack.

The rebels, who declared a unilateral ceasefire shortly after the tsunami, deny attacking humanitarian efforts and say they will only raise their weapons in self defence. Aid groups say they are unaware of any threat from the rebels.

GAM's spokesman Sofyan Daud said that only six of his men had actually been killed, insisting most of those killed by the military were civilians -- a familiar but unverifiable claim by the rebels.

"Since the disaster the Indonesian military has intensified operations. Some of those who died were from the military and GAM but most were civilians," he told AFP in Jakarta by telephone.

Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayuda said Wednesday that "behind the scenes" moves were under way to bring about the first talks with the rebels since the 2003 truce collapse. Exiled rebel leaders in Sweden say they too are willing.

Jakarta has been quick to stress its role in bringing aid to the people of Aceh. It is keen to win over citizens suspicious of a government they say has siphoned off the resource-rich province's wealth, leaving it mired in poverty.

But observers say the military, which has seen the huge power it once enjoyed under dictator Suharto slowly eroded, is unlikely to support diplomacy after expending huge resources on crushing the rebels.

Such fears appeared to be borne out by Ryacudu, who said that the 20,000 soldiers engaged in security operations -- in addition to 15,000 helping relief efforts -- would continue to pursue the rebels.

The general said the government's proposal for new talks was a "political" matter and peace could only be achieved if the guerrillas abandon their fight for independence.

"For me, if GAM refuse to give up, then we strike them. Why is it so difficult?" he said.

"As long as they still carry weapons and look for new ones, the problem will not end. The key is that they should come down the mountains, lay down arms and together we rebuild Aceh," he said.

US Deputy Defense Secretary Wolfowitz, who last week toured Aceh and met government officials, said on Wednesday that resolving the Aceh problem was a "chance to give some meaning to that tragedy by moving to a better future".

"If the military gets in the way of that, then the military should be pushed to get out of the way," he told US television.

He said the military could be offered incentives to back down, such as the gradual restoration of US military ties cut over human rights abuses during East Timor's 1999 separation from Jakarta.

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