Malaysian commandos in Sabah standoff (AFP file photo)
The Sabah stand-off between hundreds of followers of the Sulu sultan and Malaysian authorities deteriorated into a deadly tit-for-tat Sunday, as both sides claimed they sustained five fatalities each.
An imam and four others were killed when Malaysian forces reportedly attacked the village of Semporna in Sabah Saturday, the camp of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III said Sunday. Another imam was also wounded.
Those involved were not members of the Royal Sulu Army but were "supporters" of the group, said Abraham Idjirani, spokesman of the sultanate.
The supporters also reportedly took hostage four people, including two officials of Malaysian police and a civilian.
Princess Jacel Kiram, the daughter of the the sultan, said Malaysian forces entered the residences of Semporna residents.
5 Malaysian cops killed
But a report from Malaysian state news agency Bernama said Malaysian policemen were ambushed, leaving five policemen killed.
The shootout late on Saturday in the town of Semporna followed a firefight the previous day between Filipino followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and Malaysian security forces that left 12 Filipinos dead along with two Malaysian police officers.
An estimated 100-300 Filipinos have been surrounded by Malaysian police and military in the state of Sabah since landing by boat from the Philippines, insisting the area belongs to the Sultanate of Sulu.
Semporna is about 150 kilometers from Lahad Datu, where followers of the sultan of Sulu have been held in a tense and violent standoff with Malaysian forces since last week.
An initial report from Malaysian state media Bernama quoted Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib as saying that authorities were investigating whether the group that ambushed the policemen were connected with the Royal Sulu Army holed up in Lahad Datu.
Bernama said the policemen were shot at by an unidentified group of about 10 members in Kampung Seri Jaya Siminul 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Hamza was quoted as saying that the Royal Sulu Army were "cordoned off" by security forces and said police were in control of the situation.
Another Malaysian news outfit, this time Malaysiakini.com, quoted police inspector-general Ismail Omar as confirming that "five police officers were killed in a skirmish with an armed group in Semporna, Sabah."
The attack was attributed simply to "an armed group in Kampung Sri Jaya Simunul, Sempoerna."
Malaysiakini.com said Malaysian officials are still investigating whether the ambush on the policemen is linked to the Lahad Datu situation.
Meanwhile in Manila, the camp of Sulu sultan Jamalul Kiram III said they have yet to talk to Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram since Saturday night.
The sultan said negotiations were not too late even as Malacanang said yesterday that Filipinos in Sabah should immediately surrender before it was too late.
The sultan also appealed for followers to calm down.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/56246/sabah-casualty-swap--suluanons-say-malaysians-killed-imam-4-others-kl-says-5-cops-slain-in-ambush
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