Lahad Datu a ghost town as night falls

People have been staying indoors as well as most of a well-to-do residents have left a town.

LAHAD DATU: As eve fell here, this scrappy municipality that is routinely bustling upon a weekend night, resembled a ghost town.

Police have confirmed that 12 "Sulu" gunmen, who were part of a vast organisation from a Philippines claiming to represent a Sultan of Sulu as well as had forcedly occupied Kampung Tanduo, were killed in a shootout that additionally claimed a lives of dual troops officers.

But Sabah chief of troops Hamza Taib told reporters that some 150 of a intruders have been still holed up in a kampung as well as a moving stand-off that entered a 17th day today is still on, setting nerves upon corner in a locale as well as a vicinity.

Hamza pronounced a shootout began after a 5 General Operations Force (GOF) members who began to tighten their fringe around Kampung Tanduo stumbled upon a organisation of a intruders who fired during them as well as they returned fire.

The skirmish happened during around 10am as well as lasted about 30 minutes, he said, adding that they had recovered some weapons from a intruders as well as have been right away progressing their 10km cordon around a kampung.

In a locale of Lahad Datu, a mood is sombre as well as nervous.

"People have been scared as well as have been staying indoors," a longtime proprietor said, describing a situation as "a bit tense".

Another bureau workman pronounced a fear was tangible as well as suggestive of a trouble felt after a Sept 23, 1985 raid by some fifteen foreigners dressed in troops fatigues as well as armed with M-1! 6 rifles , carbines, space station launchers as well as hand grenades. They shot passed 10 people as well as injured 11.

"It's only similar to after that attack," pronounced a male who requested anonymity.

According to him, most of a more well-to-do residing here have fled to Kota Kinabalu. The last plane out left before 6pm, he said, adding that most of a Datuks-Datuks have additionally gone.

Keeping low profile

All civilian air trade to as well as from this easterly seashore locale had been halted given this morning, he said.

A long convoy of vehicles heading to Kota Kinabalu could be seen slowing down during a checkpoint during mile 32 where troops have been branch around any Lahad Datu-bound traffic.

"Only vehicles starting west have been authorised to continue their journey," pronounced one motorist.

Despite claims of curfew carrying been imposed here as well as in Sandakan after this morning's shootout in between Malaysian security forces as well as an armed organisation of foreigners claiming to be representing a Sultan of Sulu, troops have been gripping a low profile as well as there was no sign of it being enforced.

The total of a easterly seashore of Sabah, that shares a long limit with both a Philippines as well as Indonesia, is no foreigner to cross-border attacks as well as bootlegging activities.

Local fishermen have additionally often depressed chase to marauders who patrol a open seas in fast siphon boats as well as prefer a hit-and-run operation.

Sabah's easterly seashore towns of Semporna, Tawau, Lahad Datu, Kunak as well as Sand! akan hav e all been pounded by a pirates who afterwards speed off to nearby islands as well as across a border.

In a bloody 1985 incident, a fifteen heavily armed foreigners raided a Malaysia Airlines bureau as well as a Standard Chartered bank in Lahad Datu as well as transient with about RM200,000.

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