One gunman killed today; still no bodies from airstrikes

By Boo Su-Lyn

Ismail said the militants have moved on to “certain areas”. — Picture by Saw Siow FengLAHAD DATU, March 6 ― Despite pounding a village here with airstrikes yesterday and sending in five battalions of soldiers, authorities said today that they have yet to recover any bodies of Filipino militants.
But Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said today that one Sulu gunman was shot dead early this morning in a brief gunfire exchange between local security forces and the 200-strong followers of the Sulu sultanate.
“The intruders are moving to certain areas,” said Ismail at a press conference here today, but declined to specify.
“The mopping and searching operation is still going on... We are moving cautiously,” he added.
According to Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia, yesterday’s assault had resulted in the killing of 30 Sulu militants. The fate of the group’s leader, Agbimuddin, was unknown despite rumours of his death, the newspaper added.
Ismail was also quoted by news agency Bernama as saying the militants were now posing as civilians in order to slip the tightening security noose.
Self-proclaimed Sulu “princess” Jacel Kiram was reported by Philippine media this morning as saying that Sulu militant leader Agbimuddin Kiram and his group have survived yesterday’s aerial assault and search operations.
Ismail also declined to specify the strength of the military and police personnel deployed during yesterday’s dawn operation against the southern Filipino militants holed up at Kampung Tanduo here.
The Sulu gunmen have occupied the Sabah seaside village for almost a month, surviving clashes with the security forces in Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kunak that have left eight Malaysian policemen and some 20 Sulu militants dead.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday that three F-18 and five Hawk aircraft were used in the assault against the militants camped out in Kampung Tanduo.
Ismail said today the security forces were carefully combing an area of four square kilometres in search of the Sulu gunmen.
Jacel ― the daughter of the elderly Jamalul Kiram, one of the nine claimants to the Sulu Sultanate ― said her uncle Agbimuddin was willing to release the four Malaysian hostages they claim to be holding captive, but wanted to do so in front of the international media and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Committee to prove they were unharmed.
After several clashes last weekend with the Malaysian police, the armed Filipino militants claimed they had captured four Malaysians ― one policeman, two military personnel and a government official.
Their claims have yet to be verified.
Philippine media reported yesterday that Agbimuddin’s crew are receiving reinforcements with 10,000 Suluks sailing in small batches from their homes in Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga in the Philippines to help them reclaim Sabah.
In its report yesterday, French news wire AFP said Malaysian security forces would be ridiculed for incompetence if it were shown that the severely outnumbered and outgunned group of 200 or so militants had slipped the dragnet. It further added that this would heighten fears of violence spreading.
Agbimuddin’s group insists that Sabah is theirs as it had been granted to the Kiram family by the Brunei Sultan in the 17th century.
Sabah, however, joined Malaysia in 1963.
Malaysia reportedly pays an annual stipend of RM5,300 to the Sulu sultanate on the basis of the sultanate ceding its rights to the Borneo state.

Source themalaysianinsider