Sulu sultanate says fresh encounter between Raja Muda, Malaysian forces

From InterAksyon (Mar 4): Sulu sultanate says fresh encounter between Raja Muda, Malaysian forces



Malaysian police attend to the body of a gunman killed during a shootout with soldiers in Simunul village in Sabah. (photo by M. Jegathesan, AFP)

A fresh clash broke out Monday afternoon between followers of the Sulu sultanate and Malaysian forces who have been hunting them down in Sabah, the daughter of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III said.

Princess Jacel Kiram told a press briefing that the new encounter started just after their last phone conversation with the crown prince, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, who led more than 200 of the sultanate’s followers to Sabah in a bid to press their claim to the territory early last month.

“He told us he had finally bathed, sipped hot soup and eaten,” she said. “We were even joking with him, asking him if he had put on perfume.”

This was around half-past four, she said.

“A few minutes later, we received a text message from his close-in” security detail “that a new encounter was starting,” she added.

The princess said they have yet to receive more information about the new incident.
The group led by Agbimuddin, brother of the sultan, first clashed with Malaysian forces last Friday.

The sultanate said 10 of their followers were killed, four wounded and 10 others captured in the clash, which they blamed Malaysian police of instigating. Two Malaysian police commandos were also killed.

Since then, clashes have also broken out in other areas in Sabah, bringing the death toll as of the weekend to close to 30.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/56348/sulu-sultanate-says-fresh-encounter-between-raja-muda-malaysian-forces