Another intruder attempting to escape the security forces’s cordon in Lahad Datu this morning was shot dead, says inspector-general of police Ismail Omar.

“At around 6am this morning, one of the intruders attempted to escape from the cordon at Tanjung Batu.

“An exchange of gunfire ensued and security forces managed to shoot him (at around 8am),” he told a press conference at Felda Residence Sahabat this afternoon.

NONE With this, a total of 34 enemies have been killed since the beginning of the all-out Ops Daulat assault in the red zone on March 5.

This brings the total number of intruders killed since the crisis began on Feb 12 to 53.

This is on top of 79 suspects arrested throughout Sabah in relation to the incursion since the crisis began.

All of them were from outside the operation zone except for three who attempted to escape the cordon in Kampung Tanduo on March 2.

Ismail again reiterated that the enemy does not hold any members of security forces hostage and expressed puzzlement at their request for prisoner exchange.

The main focus of the operation is now  on Kampung Tanduo and Tanjung Batu with a combined area of seven square kilometres.

"Our cordon area has shrunk a little as they are confined inside," he said.

No chance for escape

Armed forces general Zulkifeli Mohd Zin said it was unlikely for the remaining intruders to break free of the cordon.

azlan "Based on what happened today and observing their actions, we are confident there is a major possibility that they are trapped in Kampung Tanduo and Kampung Tanjung Batu.

"It is unlikely for them to escape except to go back and forth between Kampung Tanduo and Tanjung Batu due to the terrain such as marshland but we are also tightening the cordon between the two villages," he said.

He added the access to sea from these two village had also been completely sealed off.

He also said there may be pockets of enemies still hiding in Kampung Tanduo but security forces are flushing them out before conducting a similar exercise in Tanjung Batu.

Zulkifeli added that it was still not possible to provide an estimate of enemies left, saying that they were not moving in small groups.

Police arrest 79 as incursion death toll hits 61