1,000 fighters slip into Sabah

MANILA, Philippines - An additional 1,000 armed men from Tawi-Tawi and Sulu have slipped into Sabah and joined the followers of Agbimuddin Kiram to fight Malaysian security forces, a source from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) said yesterday.

The source said the armed men arrived in small groups to evade the Philippine and Malaysian naval blockade.

MNLF spokesman Emmanuel Fontanilla confirmed thousands of Tausugs has began preparing since the outbreak of hostilities between the royal sultanate army of Kiram and Malaysian forces.

“As per information, the armed men arrived in small batches,” he said.

It was not known, however, if the armed men joined the fighting in Lahad Datu but last week the sultanate of Sulu said at least 100 heavily armed men have rejoined the group of Kiram on the outskirts of town.

It was learned that the 100 men were now part of the 1,000 armed followers that joined Kiram, also known as raja muda or crown prince, in various parts of Sabah.

Sultanate spokesman Abraham Idjirani last week revealed Kiram had called him up to report that new arrivals joined his group in the ongoing battle with Malaysian forces in Lahad Datu.