Kiram camp claims having 'reinforcements' in Sabah

The camp of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III on Tuesday claimed that "volunteer" reinforcements from Mindanao have arrived in Sabah.

Sultanate spokesman Abraham Idjirani claimed that the sultan's brother, Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram, now has some 400 men, radio dzBB's Nimfa Ravelo reported.

Idjirani claimed some of the reinforcements are "volunteers" from Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, while others are supposedly kin of the Kiram followers slain in past clashes.

However, he said they are not attacking because the sultan's order for a "ceasefire" remains in effect.

Last February, Azzimudie Kiram led a group of armed Kiram followers to Sabah, where they engaged Malaysian forces in a three-week standoff.

The standoff ended in deadly clashes on March 1 and 2, leading to Malaysian offensive operations to flush out Kiram's followers.

Meanwhile, Idjirani also claimed one group of "volunteer" Kiram followers clashed with Malaysian forces last Saturday and Sunday.

But he insisted the Malaysians were the ones who attacked. - VVP, GMA News