Two Abu Sayyaf members killed in shootout

KOTA KINABALU: Two suspected Abu Sayyaf members, believed to have slipped into Sandakan in a bid to kidnap estate owners to fund militant activities, were killed during a dawn shootout. The identity of the two men shot during a 5am raid at the Bornhill Palm Oil Estate at Pulau Timbang yesterday had yet to be ascertained, said Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali.

He added that before the shootout, security forces had nabbed seven other Abu Sayyaf members during a special operation between 2am and 4am on Wednesday.