2 more bodies identified as Kiram’s men recovered; toll up to 58

LAHAD DATU – Two more bodies identified as armed followers of the Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram were recovered Wednesday, bringing to 58 the number of dead from the “royal army,” Malaysian Armed Forces chief Zulkifeli Mohd Zinsaid later in the day.

Zulkifeli said the bodies were recovered at the Sungai Nyamuk village in Felda Sahabat, Malaysia’s biggest palm oil plantation covering 100,000 hectares.

Zulkifeli and Police Chief Minister Ismail Omar held a joint press conference here at the Felda Sahabat Residence resort.

Zulkifeli said the Malaysian military would send more helicopters and armed personnel carrier in the areas of operations. Ismail added more police commandos would be deployed.

All these are expected to add more pressure on Agbimuddin’s group, which had broken up into smaller factions, and flush them out of Lahad Datu, they said.

Zulkifeli said there was no deadline set to finish Operasi Daulat or Ops Daulat, the “operations against royalty,” as the assault against the “royal army” was being called.

Nine Malaysian security forces have been killed while nine others were injured.

Ninety-six people are detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 of Malaysia and 156 others under other Acts.

Ops Daulat enters its ninth day today, Thursday, with no sign of surrender from Agbimuddin and his men.