Another group of intruders spotted

The IGP says the authorities were alerted late Saturday night that at least 10 intruders were seen in Kunak, a small town between Semporna and Lahad Datu.

LAHAD DATU: More armed men have been spotted near here as the stand-off between Malaysian security personnel and followers of the Sulu Sultanate at Kampung Tanduo continues following last Friday’s clash which killed two Malaysian commandos and 12 armed intruders.

Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar confirmed here that intruders had slipped into two villages in Kunak, a small town between Semporna and Lahad Datu.

Ismail said the authorities were alerted late Saturday night that at least 10 intruders were seen in Kunak.

“There were sightings of a group of 10 men, three of them were in military fatigues similar to those in Kampung Tandou,” he told a press conference in Lahad Datu.

He added that security forces have moved in to contain the group within the area.

Police have repeatedly said that they have the situation under total control and urged people to remain calm.

However, locals living along the Sabah east coast from Semporna up to Sandakan and Kudat on the northern tip are jittery about the fallout from the ongoing stand-off.

With wild rumours making the rounds through the social media, the apprehensive mood has spread as far as the west coast of the state.

While some in the large Filipino community here, many illegally, appeared nervous, there was little sign business had been affected and the state capital and its outskirts remained crowded and as busy as ever.

There has also been reports of an influx of east coast residents into the state capital.

Army General Zulkifli Zainal Abidin told the press conference at the media centre some 20km from Tanduo that the armed intruders appeared to be adept in insurgency and have had combat experience.

“From our intelligence and observation, their insurgency guerrilla tactics are quite good, I would say,” he said.

He said that the group had positioned snipers in one area with a large public space.