Sulu terrorist leader Azzimudie Kiram is believed to have fled from Lahad Datu.

In saying this, Armed Forces chief Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin said Azzimudie has returned to his native Southern Philippines.

Zulkifeli said the security forces reached this conclusion after analysing the information received from intelligence.

“Feedback from the security forces commanders on the ground revealed that Azzimudie no longer is with his followers who are trapped in Lahad Datu.

However, Philippines' Inquirer.net tweeted that the Sulu gunmen's spokesperson Abraham Idjirani denied that Azzimudie is back in Philippines.

Malaysian security forces launched Ops Daulat over a week ago to wipe out the uninvited Sulu terrorists who killed a number of Malaysian police and soldiers.