Malaysian security forces continued to attack a group of defiant terrorists from southern Philippines as 'Ops Daulat' entered its sixth day in Lahad Datu today.     

Having entered Sabah 26 days ago, there is no indication that the armed Sulu terrorists wanted to surrender.     

NONE Instead, in an eight-hour firefight at Kampung Tanjung Batu in Lahad Datu last night, the intruders took on an aggressive stance, shooting and injuring two members of the General Operations Force (GOF).     

Reacting to the defiance of the terrorists, Sabah Police Commissioner Hamza Taib believes the terrorists have no desire to surrender or call for a truce, as reported by the Philippine media.     

In a follow-up operation, the security forces, involving the police and armed forces, continued their joint operation to track down the terrorists, with the public again reminded not to approach the 'Red Zone' which was established since the offensive started on Tuesday.     

A boy, aged between 12 and 15, was shot and killed this morning, when the security forces were aggressively detecting the enemy.     

    

Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar said, the shooting incident occurred when members of the security forces heard noises from nearby shrubs while questioning two men and three women in Kampung Sungai Bilis.     

"The security forces spontaneously fired towards the shrubs," he told a media conference at 4.40pm today.     

Ismail said, 96 individuals, suspected to be connected with the Sulu militant group which intruded into Lahad Datu on Feb 12, were also detained.     

He said, 66 others were also apprehended for entering the forbidden zone in the 'Ops Daulat' area launched on Tuesday.     

NONE The offensive was also expanded to a new area in Kampung Tanjung Batu after the security forces had focused on a mopping-up operation in Kampung Tanduo, about five kilometres from the village.     

Meanwhile, in the Semporna district, the police detained four individuals suspected to be intruders.     

They were among 33 people detained during a two-hour operation at Kampung Pinggir Bakau as they were suspected to have protected, and directly involved with the Sulu terrorists and relaying security information to the enemy.     

The sixth day of the operation to flush out the foreign terrorists also saw a group of journalists and photographers bumping into an armed militant during a survey at Kampung Labian, about 20km from the media centre, at Residental Felda Sahabat.     

A man, clad in black and holding a firearm was spotted standing near an oil palm tree, about six metres from their position. However, the group was not harmed.     

Villagers were also seen hurriedly leaving their homes, fearing for their lives, after hearing shots in the vicinity of the village.     

In the conflict which started on Feb 12, eight policemen were killed while 53 terrorists were shot dead.     

Injured two in stable condition

Meanwhile two GOF personnel , injured in a gunbattle at Kampung Tanjung Batu near Sandakan last night, are reported to be in stable condition at a hospital here.      

Libaran Member of Parliament Juslie Ajirol, when met after visiting the policemen, said the duo appeared healthy and were receiving follow-up treatment.      

NONE "The men look fine...Sabahans are very grateful to the security forces and are praying for their speedy recovery," he said.      

A check by Bernama indicated the injured GOF personnel were heavily guarded and no visitors were allowed, except specific individuals.     

Constable Mohamad Qaiyum'aiqal Zolkifli who was among those wounded in a shootout with armed Sulu militants at Kampung Tanduo, Sabah, arrived safely at the police air training unit base, Ipoh, today.         

Mohamad Qaiyum'aiqal, 22, a member of the VAT 69 Commando, was flown on a police King Air Beechcraft 300, and received by father Zolkifli Mohd Sidek, 59, mother, Hasnah Abdul Manan, 52 and his six siblings from Batu Pahat, Johor.     

Mohamad Qaiyum'aiqal who was injured on the right shoulder and both legs, had received treatment at the Duchess of Kent Hospital, Sandakan.     

NONE Upon arrival, Mohamad Qaiyum'aiqal appeared downcast but was cheered up by the presence of his nieces Puteri Nor Farah Elyana Fahmi, 5, and Puteri Nor Alya Nabilah Fahmi, 2.    

Mohamad Qaiyum'aiqal was then taken to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB), Ipoh, for follow up treatment.     

     

Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir and Perak deputy police chief A Paramasivam were also at the base to receive the injured soldier.     

Mohamad Qaiyum'aiqal is the fifth of seven siblings and believed to be the youngest member of his team.     

According to his brother-in-law, lance corporal Fahmi Mokhtar, 28, who works in Bukit Aman, Mohamad Qaiyum'aiqal had served in the police force for four years and joined VAT 69 last year.      

"The battle (at Kampung Tanduo) was Mohamad Qaiyum'aiqal's first as a commando after completing his VAT 69 commando basic training last year," he said.    

Meanwhile, Zambry said, the state government would provide an allocation and planned to help the affected members and their families.     

    

Two other members of the VAT 69 who were also injured in the incident were taken home three days earlier and admitted at HRPB.     

They were corporal Mohd Tarmizi Hashim, 32, from Kelantan and corporal Azman Ampong, 39, from Sabah.     

Earlier, Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, who is also Tambun Member of Parliament, had visited them.     

Infiltrated villages may be torn down

Nine stilt houses suspected of being used as hideouts by a group of Filipino intruders in Kampung Simunul water village may be torn down, said village head Ramlee Saraman.      

He said unsuspecting house owners could have fallen prey to the group by selling the houses to them without any inkling that they would be used as hideouts.      

The group infiltrated the water village and mingled with villagers, who even called one of them, who was killed in an ensuing gun battle an 'imam' although he did not have any accreditation, he told a Bernama reporter who visited the village, today.      

Six policemen and six intruders were killed in skirmishes at Kampung Simunul on March 2 - the first of its kind since it was opened on March 9, 1939.      

Ramlee, 56, who became village head in 2006, said if the houses were demolished by local authorities, residents' confidence would be restored that the village was safe again and no longer a terrorist den.      

He said about 1,000 Kampung Simunul residents left their houses following the gun battle.      

- Bernama