Byline: Associated Press
The slaying of an army captain led to a clash between government troops and Moslem radicals in which as many as 100 extremists were killed, civilian sources said today.
The soldiers and the radicals, who were armed with spears and arrows, fought Monday in Talangsari, a southern Sumatra village, according to Maj. Gen. Sunardi, chief of the south Sumatra regional military command.
In the first report on the fighting, Sunardi said the battle occurred after an attempt by the military to free army Capt. Sutiman. The general said the extremists had taken the officer hostage and later killed him.
However, civilian sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the army captain was killed in a clash with the extremists earlier Monday.
They said Sutiman and other army commanders were attacked by the rebels when they came to meet with the extremists, who held a rally Sunday. They said the military reinforcements attacked later Monday in retaliation.
Sunardi said the radicals battled with spears and bows and arrows. The civilian sources said the battle involved about 300 members of the radical group in the village, including women and children.
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