Inspector General of Police Ismail Omar says his men may have been lured in by decoys and fired upon as they entered the water village. |
TAWAU: Police searching for a group of gunmen in Kampung Sri Jaya in the Simunul area in Semporna may have walked into a trap that was set for them.
According to sources, the gunmen appeared ready for the police raid and opened fire as the police were on the narrow single-plank walkways linking the various houses on stilts.
Six policemen, including an officer, and six unidentified gunmen were killed during the firefight that occurred around 7pm yesterday.
Police have encircled the village, one of many that are perched on stilts over the sea, to track down remaining gunmen.