Armed men land in Labian, hostages taken

Tanjung Labian, Tanjung Batu declared DANGER ZONE

Armed men spotted; unconfirmed reports say hostages taken; People fleeing Lahad Datu, Kunak and Semporna in panic

FELDA SABAHAT (LAHAD DATU) - A fresh intrusion into Sabah’s east coast has been reported. Armed men were spotted at Tanjung Labian and Tanjung Batu, two seaside villages close to each other, and not far from Tanduo, in Sahabat 17.

Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib confirmed this latest development but has declined further information.

Unconfirmed reports said the armed men, believed to be raiders of the Sulu Sultanate, came about the same time, Semporna also came under alert with frantic security personnel taking defensive positions at the Marine Police base as well as the District police Station.

And it was also learnt that a panic situation has also surfaced in neighbouring Kunak where shops and businesses shut down early following alerts by security personnel.

In Lahad Datu, which is the closest to Tanduo, where the security forces are in a stand-off with raiders of the Sulu army, lesser people movement was reported and shops have had their shutters down once again.

Rumours have also surfaced in Kota Kinabalu, Sepanggar and Kinarut, though police have denied that there is any situation that warranted worry.

People are not taking the situation lightly and supermarkets have reported panic buying of essential commodities like rice and cooking oil.

Informed sources claimed in a call to Borneo Insider that movement of security personnel has increased in the Felda Sahabat areas and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) were seen being transported in.

In Tanduo, it is now certain that army tanks and crack troops are poised to enter Tanduo in a bid to end the three-week long stand-off.

In an article that appeared in news portal Sabahkini.com today, its report claimed that 30 villagers of Tanjung Labian and Tanjung Batu have been taken hostage by heavily armed Filipino militants and are now being held in one of the houses.

The report claimed that they had been contacted by UMNO Tg Labian branch chief, Kunsul Nahul that his son, named Rudy, was among the hostages being held.

Last night (Sunday) Kunsul claimed that senior police officers had been told about the forthcoming arrivals of the raiders, but police seemed cool towards it and there was no police presence at all.

“But at 9.00am Monday, the men appeared and rounded up the villagers,” a disappointed and worried Kunsul was quoted as saying.

Other villagers in Tg Labian and Tg Batu have since been evacuated.

By Borneo Insider Reporters
LAHAD DATU Tg Labian, Tg Batu in Felda Sahabat declared red zone

Lahad Datu: Tanjung Labian and Tanjung Batu in Felda Sahabat, here, have been declared as red zones by the authorities after armed men were seen near the villages.

 Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib confirmed this latest development and added that both villages are next to each other.

The villages are also said to be between 5km and 7km from Kampung Tanduo where the original group of about 200 gunmen are holed up.