BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, May 20 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Indonesia's military chief ordered his men on Tuesday, May 20, to "exterminate" Aceh separatist group if refusing to surrender.

"Hunt them down and exterminate them," General Endriartono Sutarto ordered around 400 officers at a briefing in this provincial capital, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Sutarto said rebels would be well treated if they surrender.

"But if they continue to be stubborn and raise arms, and continue to cause suffering to the people, then your sole duty is to exterminate them," he said.

The top commander also ordered his soldiers to avoid civilian casualties and said excesses against civilians would bring severe punishment.

"What you are doing here now is being broadcast all over the world," Sutarto told them.

"If there are soldiers who do violate (the order) and cause suffering to people in the field, then just shoot them in the head," he told the officers.

No major clashes were reported Tuesday but education officials said 179 schools had been torched. The army blamed the separatists while GAM fingered military intelligence.

The military said an airborne battalion, normally around 600 men, arrived Tuesday at Takengon airport in Central Aceh, adding that resistance so far was lighter than expected.

Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Yani Basuki said one soldier was injured in a brief clash in Bireuen district on Tuesday. There were no casualty reports after another gunfight in the same district.

The spokesman said troops are putting pressure on separatist positions in the Bireuen area west of Lhokseumawe city.

"Because of these pressures, GAM is trying to shift the focus of attention by burning schools," he claimed.

"Troops are hunting down GAM personnel but they are also trying to narrow the space for the rebels and herd them away from the population," he said.

The deputy chief of the Aceh education office, Anaz Muhammad Adam, said 179 schools had been set ablaze -- including 78 in Bireuen and 74 in Pidie.

"Those are part of counter-intelligence operations to corner GAM. GAM has no business burning schools," said spokesman Sofyan Dawood.

Officials said Monday there are 28,000 soldiers or marines in Aceh plus 8,000 regular police and 2,000 paramilitary police.

They are facing off against some 5,000 Aceh separatists with 2,000 light weapons.

An estimated 10,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in the conflict since 1976. The most recent peace pact had lasted only since December 9.

The U.S. State Department said force could not solve the problem and called for a return to negotiations. Australia and other countries made similar pleas.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said the campaign and the imposition of martial law in Aceh "sets the stage for gross human rights violations."