Part of Kampung Sri Jaya Simunul in Semporna, a village on water where the gun fight between the Sulu militants and Malaysian police took place. -- NSTP/Datu Ruslan Sulai
- March 1: 12 Sulu Royal Army killed, and 2 Malaysian Police
- March 2: 2 Malaysian Police killed
- March 3: 3 Malaysian Policed killed, 2 Sulu Royal Army supporters , 1 armed man killed by villager
3 more Malaysian policemen were killed in an ambush during a police raid on a village on water in Semporna, Sabah yesterday, bringing the total number of casualty to 5.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said two Sulu armed men were killed in the incident.
The latest incident brings the death toll of Malaysian policemen to 7 with the two police commandos who were killed during Friday's attack by Sulu militants near their hideout in Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu, about 130km from Semporna yesterday.
The 5 personnel, he said were deployed to conduct a "ground assessment" when they were ambushed.
Security forces returned fire, killing 2 of the armed men.
Ismail named three areas where security forces were up against foreigners - Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kunak.
"Police received information of 2 armed men at two villages, Kampung Lormalong and Kg Dasar Lama.
"10 foreigners with three in camouflage uniforms and arms are currently hiding in a house," he told the media in Lahad Datu.
In Kampung Tanduo, he said 3 of the Sulu Royal Army who were attempting to leave the cordoned-off area, had been arrested.
No curfew or travel advisory to Sabah had been imposed, to date.
Ismail advised everyone to stay calm and refrain from spreading rumors.
Only statements from him, Ismail said, should be believed.
Meanwhile, in Semporna,a group of local villagers overpowered a gunman before shooting him dead with his own M16, when the man took them hostage near Kampung Senallang Lama this morning.
About 10 of them fought back and attacked the would-be kidnapper as he forced them to walk towards the hills in the coastal village at about 10am.
Murba Mohammad Dahil from Kabogan who was one of the hostages, said they pounced on the man as he forced them to walk up a hill.
Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Ismail said police were investigating whether the armed men were linked to the more than 150 armed intruders in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, about 150 kilometres from Semporna.
Last Friday, 2 VAT 69 commandos; ASP Zulkifli Mamat, 29, and Sergeant Sabarudin Daud, 46, were killed and 3 other policemen injured in a shootout with the armed intruders, claiming to be members of the Royal Army of the Sulu Sultanate in the Southern Philippines, in Kampung Tanduo, Sabah, North Borneo.
12 of the Sulu Royal Army were also killed in the incident.
Ismail said he would name the 5 policemen later.
In a separate development, he said, police detected another group of 10 men, 3 of them armed, in Kampung Lomalong and Kampung Dasar Lama, Kunak, at about 10 pm yesterday.
We're tracking their movement," he said.
Ismail said the police also detained 3 of the more than 150 armed Sulu Royal Army who had entrenched themselves in Kampung Tanduo since Feb 9.
"The 3 men are believed to have attempted to leave the group," he said, declining to provide further details of the arrests.
with report from NewStraitsTimes
