Malaysian forces corner Sulu rebels as PM offers ultimatum to surrender

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 2): Malaysian forces corner Sulu rebels as PM offers ultimatum to surrender

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said Saturday negotiations with Sulu rebels - a Philippine rebel group - are over after a gunfight between the group and the Malaysian armed forces Friday killed 14 people and injured scores others.

"The government gives them two options: surrender or face the security actions. What they have done is a serious crime they have armed themselves and killed two Malaysian law enforcers," Najib said.

He said the Sulu rebels had entrapped the Malaysian security forces by pretending to surrender hoisting a white flag and fired at them. "They were cowards if it is true what they have committed. "

The bodies of the two Malaysian commandos killed in the gunfight, 29-year-old Zulkifli Mamat and 46-year-old Sabaruddin Daud, were flown back to Kuala Lumpur Friday and were given a police honor at an air force control base where Najib had given the press briefing and consoled the victims' family members.

The Malaysian queen was also present at the air force base to comfort the victims' family. The both fallen soldiers, killed in a mortar attack, were promoted to a higher rank. Three other Malaysian law enforcers were injured in the gunfight.

Najib said he spoke with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III Friday night. The Malaysian armed forces imposed a curfew since 4 p.m. on Friday and said they have cornered several remaining Sulu gunmen in Sabah's Lahad Datu in the Tanduo village.

Gunbattle broke out between the Philippine rebel group and Malaysian armed force Friday morning after the rebels started firing at the armed forces. Police said 12 Sulu gunmen were killed and an unknown number of them were injured.

Some among the rebels have surrendered while others fled to the sea. The rebel group have refused to heed an ultimatum earlier set by both the Philippine and Malaysian authorities to leave. They were followers of Philippine Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III based in the restive southern Philippines. Kiram insisted Sabah was his home and that his Sulu sultanate once controlled parts of Borneo.

The Malaysian authorities have been in a standoff since Feb 9 with 180 armed Filipinos who Malaysians said invaded Taduo village in Sabah's eastern Lahad Datu to reclaim the area as their ancestral territory.

Dozens of families living in the village were said to have been displaced after the occupation. Negotiations collapsed as the rebel group refused to surrender.

Analysts said the group had resorted to invade Sabah after they felt being left out in a landmark peace deal between the Philippine government and Muslim separatist group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that was brokered by Malaysia.

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