Malaysia: 2 cops wounded in Sabah shootout with Kiram men

At least two Malaysian policemen were wounded in a shootout with alleged followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III in Sabah on Saturday, Malaysian police claimed on Sunday. This developed as at least four gunshots were heard Sunday in Tanjung Labian village near the area of the offensive operations, prompting villagers to flee. Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said one policeman was injured in the thigh, while another was wounded in the ankle during a skirmish, New Straits Times reported. "The policemen were injured after they were shot at last night. During the operations, members of the security forces reported intermittent gun fire," he was quoted in the report as saying. Malaysian forces had intensified efforts to flush out Kiram's followers, who had engaged them in armed confrontations since March 1. The New Straits Times report said the policemen were part of an operation in Kampung Tanduo and Kampung Tanjung Batu Saturday. It said the policemen, both 25, were part of the security forces team that entered the village starting 8 p.m. Saturday. But the two are now in stable condition and were brought to the Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan. Villagers flee A report on The Star online said Tanjung Labian villagers fled amid gunshots Sunday. It said police trucks were seen heading in Tanjung Labian minutes after the shots were fired. The Star online also said a media team including The Star's photographer Normimie Duin "saw the villagers pouring out from their remote coastal village located some 2 km from Tanjung Batu village where two policemen were injured in overnight skirmishes with the Sulu gunmen." It said the villagers were on motorcycles, cars and vans heading out to the Felda main road. Also, The Star online said its media team spotted an armed man wearing dark clothes standing by the roadside near the village. "Upon seeing the media team in two vehicles, he ducked and disappeared," it said. 85 detained so far As of Sunday, Hamza said 85 suspects have been detained in connection with the Lahad Datu incident. NST also reported police took in more than 10 people in an operation that started about 8 a.m. at Kampung Pinggir Bakau in Semporna. "In addition to that, 66 others have also been detained for illegally entering or trespassing within the Ops Daulat operational area," he said. Hamza claimed Kiram's followers fired at Malaysian security forces first, showing they were not committed to a ceasefire. He said authorities will continue with their operations. Last Thursday, Sultan Kiram had offered a unilateral ceasefire but Malaysia rejected it. He added that authorities will continue with the operations. Hamza also claimed the situation in Lahad Datu is improving. He urged the public not to speculate on the ongoing operations and to relay any information to the police. — LBG, GMA News