MANILA, Philippines - Fresh fighting erupted in Lahad Datu, Sabah as Malaysian security forces start to advance into the position of the royal army of the Sultanate of Sulu, an online news site reported Tuesday morning.
The Star online, reported that the attacks meant to flush out the more than 200 royal army members holed up in Lahad Datu started at dawn.
"Continuous explosions are being heard as the [Malaysian] police and army move in against the gunmen who are reportedly firing back," the online news website reported.
Ibrahim Idjirani, spokesperson of the sultanate, said that the royal army's leader Agbimuddin Kiram called them up at 7 a.m. to report the Malaysian forces' bombardment.
“According to Datu Raja Muda, the two bombs dropped by Malaysian air force plane hit their own ground troops as if they were fighting each other,†said Idrijani.
Aside from the deployment of helicopters and fighter jets, the Malaysian army has mobilized dozens of tanks to support the advancing troops toward the position of the royal army.
At least five battalions of the Malaysian army have been deployed in Sabah to force Agbimuddin's group out of Lahad Datu.
Fighting between the two forces broke out last Friday morning after Malaysian forces started moving closer to the area where the sultanate’s army was holed up.
Before its forces advanced, the Malaysian government told the sultanate’s army that it has only until midnight of Tuesday last week to leave Lahad Datu peacefully.
Idjirani had said that 12 of the royal army members were killed during last Friday's gunfight while Malaysian authorities said two of its men and a civilian were also among the fatalities.
The sultanate also claimed on Sunday that Malaysian forces killed an Imam and his four sons, triggering attacks by Filipino residents of Lahad Datu on army and police forces.
The Malaysian military on Monday sent additional troops to areas affected by the conflict.
The Star online reported that the situation in Tanjung Labian, which is seven kilometers from Tanduo village was tense as the Malaysian air force bombarded the position of the royal army.
The sultanate’s army led by Agbimuddin, brother of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, arrived in Lahad Datu last February 11 to insist the clan’s claim over Sabah.
In an interview over ABS-CBN's dzMM radio, the royal army's leader expressed his disappointment over President Benigno Aquino III's position on the crisis.
He said that the governments of Malaysia and the Philippines have obviously stopped listening to their calls for a peaceful resolution to the standoff.
"Hindi sila nakikinig... Pinahuhuli nila ang mga tauhan namin maski walang kasalanan," Agbimuddin said. "Parang hindi kami Filipino kay Aquino." - reports from Jaime Laude and Dennis Carcamo