Tsunami toll rises in Indonesia

Aid workers say they can feed survivors

Indonesian authorities say another 3,000 people have been confirmed dead as a result of the Asian tsunami.

This brings to more than 104,000 the number of Indonesian deaths.

The head of the UN World Food programme, Jim Morris, has told the BBC he expects food aid to reach all those who need it within the next seven days.

Food distribution to Indonesia is expected to speed up following the opening of a humanitarian air hub at Subang near Malaysia's capital.

It takes almost twice as long to reach the hard-hit province of Aceh from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, as it does from Subang.

In a matter of five, six or seven days we will feed 400,000 people, depending on the extent of the damage on the western coast of Aceh Jim Morris WFP head

More than 150,000 people have been killed across the Indian Ocean region.

The UN has warned the death toll may soar as the fate of many thousands is still unknown following the 26 December disaster and survivors are at risk from hunger and disease.

Aceh clashes

There are fears that some aid is being hampered by the long-running conflict in Aceh between separatist rebels and the Indonesian military.

Seven people are said to have been killed in a clash on Thursday involving separatist rebels and Indonesian troops.

The incident is believed to have occurred in the village of Lham Long, west of the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, and residents say two of those killed were members of the rebel Free Aceh Movement (Gam).

ACEH: KEY FACTS Province on the north-western tip of Sumatra Higher percentage of Muslims than other parts of Indonesia Gam rebels have fought decades-long separatist campaign Year-long military crackdown beginning in May 2003 weakened Gam, but failed to capture senior members Indonesia's flashpoints

Residents of Lham Long village told a BBC reporter they had heard an exchange of gunfire early in the morning.

When they went to investigate, they found five people dead who they say were survivors of the tsunami disaster who had been trying to return to their homes.

Two more bodies were reportedly found nearby and villagers said they were both Gam rebels.

The BBC reporter saw a large Indonesian troop presence in the area when he visited.

Both the rebels and the Indonesian military have accused each other of exploiting the disaster situation to mount attacks.

A UN official said they are aware of the reported clash but say they have no evidence so far of such incidents affecting the relief effort.

Aid workers' optimism

But aid workers are keeping a close eye on the security situation, says the BBC's Andrew North in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh.

The head of the UN's WFP said the organisation hoped to feed 400,000 people on the western coast of Aceh "in a matter of five, six or seven days".

"The numbers could go to as high as one million. Hopefully that will not be the case," Mr Morris said.

He said the air hub in Malaysia "will not only relieve the extreme congestion in the two airports in Sumatra, but will sharply reduce travel time".