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Blast kills one in Aceh province

JAKARTA: A 40-year-old man was killed in an explosion Indonesia's separatist-plagued Aceh province, the official Antara news agency said on Saturday as it reported attacks on Indonesian security forces were on the rise.

Police said that they had arrested two people in connection with the blast, but the reason for the attack was unclear.

The explosion at a market in Lhokseumawe, the main city of North Aceh district, occurred when most shops were closed for the Muslim Friday prayers, Antara said.

"The victim is 40-year-old Mochtar Usman. We're still looking into the motive," Lieutenant Colonel Syafei Aksal said.ÑAFP