Residents are advised not to enter the conflict areas

Lahad Datu residents are advised to not enter the conflict areas in Tanjung Labian, Tanjung Batu and Sungai Bilis as the area now have been used by security forces as ‘mopping-out’ operation area.

Sabah Police Commissioner, Datuk Hamza Taib said this is because the security forces are still focusing on this area as their operation area to ‘mopping-out’ the terrorist.

“It is dangerous for local residents to roaming or even entering the area as we believed there are still have terrorist threats in the area and it is highly dangerous and risky too,” said Hamza.

In the meantime, effort to retrieve back the bodies of the terrorists in the operation area at Tanjung Batu is still being conducted.

From 22 bodies that were found by security forces, 18 of them have been sent to Hospital Lahad Datu while the rest were sent to Hospital Tawau for autopsy.

“Although I am personally have seen all the bodies but I can’t confirm whether one of the bodies that were found was body of General of the Sulu Army, General Hj Musa that allegedly said was killed during the firefight with armed forces few days ago. There is no identity card, or even personal documents found on the body,” he said.

At the same time also, Hamza stated that the situation at Lahad Datu and Semporna have back to normal.