KOTA KINABALU, Nov 29 — Several explosives, an M16 rifle with live bullets and several empty magazines were found at a farm in Kampung Tanjung Batu, Lahad Datu on Sunday.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun said police did not rule out that the items were likely to be weapons left behind by Sulu militants during the 2013 instrusion.

"Based on initial investigations, we believe that the weapons had been left behind by the militants during the ‘Op Daulat’ as they were found within the operation area,” he said after launching the Sabah chapter of the Malaysian Association of Retired Senior Police Officers (Respa) here today.

Also present were Respa deputy president Datuk Mohd Nawawi Ismail and Sabah Respa chairman Datuk Sulaiman Junaidi.

Abdul Rashid said a 50-year-old man who discovered the items had also been detained to facilitate the investigations. — Bernama