MANILA, Philippines - The bodies of 13 slain Sulu sultanate army members were discovered from a mass grave in Lahad Datu, Sabah on Wednesday as Malaysian forces scoured the island state for the supporters of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.
Reports by Malaysian news agencies The Star and Bernama quoted Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying that Malaysian forces were still "in the process of collecting more bodies."
The reports said that photographs of the bodies and the mass grave were shown by the official during a press briefing.
After the first encounter between the royal army and Malaysian forces last Friday, the Sultanate of Sulu announced that 12 of its supporters were killed in Lahad Datu.
Reports said that eight Malaysian police commandos were also killed in the clashes on during the weekend.
Earlier reports said that another member of the sultanate's army was killed by Malaysian security forces during mopping up operations.
Malaysian forces conducted door-to-door searches in Lahad Datu as part of the mopping up operations.
Security officials in Malaysia said that members of the sultanate’s army who survived the attacks are now posing as locals in Lahad Datu to evade detection.
Malaysian forces seize 13 bodies of Kiram's men
Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, right, prays at his residence in Maharlika Village in Taguig City on Sunday, March 3, 2013. AP