Monday 18 March 2013

#LahadDatu: Another terrorist shot dead

A four-day lull in the ongoing Ops Daulat was shattered yesterday morning when another gunman was shot dead by security forces, bringing the number of terrorists killed to 62 so far.

Army Field Command chief Leftenan-Jeneral Datuk Seri Zulkiple Kassim said security forces came into contact with a group of militants twice at 9.55am and 10.15am at Kampung Tanjung Batu.

“One gunman was killed in the second encounter and three others escaped. The fight with the other enemies is still ongoing and we believe they are still in the area, which has been surrounded,” he said during a press conference at Felda Sahabat 16 here.

Lt-Jen Zulkiple said security forces were conducting house-to-house checks for the gunmen, who were believed to have split up to avoid detection.

The last gunfight occurred on Tuesday when a soldier was killed and another injured along with three gunmen shot dead near Sungai Nyamuk not far from Tanjung Batu.

Lt-Jen Zulkiple said mopping-up operations were continuing in Kampung Tanduo and Tanjung Labian, adding that residents who had fled the two villages would be allowed to return to their homes once these places were declared safe.

Meanwhile, Sabah Commissioner of Police Datuk Hamza Taib said police were checking if the 104 people detained under the Security Offences and Special Measures Act 2012 had any links with the terrorists.

He said some detainees were believed to be related to the self-styled Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.

Comm Hamza also said a man, who was detained for having suspected links with the terrorists, had died due to illness and not from suicide as reported in a Malay daily.

In Manila, individuals claiming to represent the Kiram clan insisted that there were still 170 gunmen in Sabah, including Jamalul's brother Azzimudie Kiram, who led the group to occupy Kampung Tanduo on Feb 9.

TheStar

0 comments:

Post a Comment