Sutarto, quoted by Monday's Kompas daily, said it was too early to say whether more time would be needed to complete "integrated operations" in Aceh, which the government says include humanitarian and law enforcement operations as well as the military campaign against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

"But specifically for the military operation, I can definitely say that (it) will not be completed within six months. No country in this world has carried out an operation against rebels in just six months," Sutarto said.

The government imposed martial law for six months on May 19 and launched its biggest military operation in a quarter-century.

Officials had previously said they hoped to wind down military operations after six months or less.

Speaking to reporters in the town of Lhokseumawe in North Aceh, Sutarto was quoted as saying a military operation could range from one to 10 years.

"Basically, my target (for the operation) is until residents are no longer disturbed by GAM's existence," the general said.

"In essence, their strength has been broken apart into smaller units," he said. "Their fighting power has significantly weakened."

Sutarto said late Monday it would be up to President Megawati Sukarnoputri to extend the military campaign in Aceh after six months.

It is "possible," however, that the campaign would continue without martial law imposed on the province at the northern tip of Sumatra, Sutarto told reporters at the State Palace after a cabinet meeting here.

The general announced last week that his troops had taken "100 percent" control of the province even as clashes continue.

Meanwhile, a military spokesman in Aceh said Monday that GAM planned Tuesday to free a television crew they have held since June 29.

"GAM has said it will hand over the TV crew to the PMI (Indonesian Red Cross) on Tuesday," said provincial military spokesman Firdaus Komarno.

Rebel spokesman Sofyan Dawood denied such plans were in place.

"There is no such plan. And if we decide to release them, we will want an independent body such as the International Red Cross to be present, not the PMI," Dawood told AFP in Jakarta.

"The situation there is much too dangerous for such a move."

A reporter and cameraman from the private RCTI station, their driver and two civilian women travelling with them went missing after leaving East Aceh for Lhokseumawe in North Aceh.

GAM has said it is holding the five and questioning them amid allegations that soldiers have used the press in intelligence operations.

Muhammad Jamal, a cameraman with state television TVRI, was found dead last month in Aceh after he was abducted in May by still-unidentified gunmen.

The 30,000-strong military operation to crush the separatists entered its eighth week on Monday.

Troops killed another five suspected guerrillas across Aceh, the military reported Monday, bringing the separatist death toll to 353 since the operation began May 19.

The military says 30 soldiers and eight police have been killed.

More than 48,000 people have been driven from their homes by the conflict.

GAM has been fighting for an independent state in the resource-rich province on Sumatra island since 1976.

WAR.WIRE