March 3 – Inspector-general of police Ismail Omar today confirmed that five police officers were killed yesterday in an by an armed group in Semporna, Sabah.
“Yesterday evening, we received information there was an armed group in Kampung Sri Jaya Simunul, Sempoerna.
“Based on this information, a police team from the Semporna district police headquarters entered the place but were ambushed when they arrived,” he told a press conference in Felda Sabahat Residence, Lahad Datu.
The police managed to kill two gunmen during the firefight. Police have encircled the village, which is on stilts over sea water, to track down remaining gunmen.
The Semporna incident followed the killing of two police personnel on Friday in Lahad Datu, where a shootout with armed intruders loyal to the Sulu Sultanate took place.
Ismail said the police are trying to determine whether the group in Kampung Sri Jaya Simunul are related to the group involved in the Lahad Datu standoff.
With a total death toll of seven in two days thus far, this is likely one of the worst assault on Malaysia’s security forces since the communist insurgency.
-Malaysiakini
