Two Kidnapping Suspects Killed in Police Shootout, Two Victims Rescued in Alor Setar

KUALA LUMPUR, AUGUST 2026 — Two suspected kidnappers believed to be foreign nationals were killed in an exchange of gunfire with police during an operation to rescue two kidnapping victims in Taman Amira, Telaga Bata, Alor Setar, Kedah, on Friday night.

The incident occurred at approximately 8.40pm when officers from the Special Investigation Division (D9) of Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) conducted a rescue operation at a house in the residential area.

Bukit Aman CID director Datuk M. Kumar said the suspects allegedly fired several shots at the police team during the raid.

Police returned fire in self-defence until the threat was neutralised. Both suspects were subsequently pronounced dead by medical personnel at approximately 9.30pm.

According to police, no identification documents were found on either suspect, and authorities are continuing efforts to establish their identities.

During the same operation, police successfully rescued two foreign nationals who had allegedly been held captive.

The victims were identified as a man in his 70s and a woman in her 30s. Both were found blindfolded and handcuffed when officers entered the premises.

Police also recovered two firearms near the suspects.

The weapons comprised a Beretta semi-automatic pistol containing five rounds of ammunition and a revolver loaded with four rounds. A long machete was also recovered at the scene.

The case is being investigated under Section 3(1) of the Kidnapping Act 1961, which covers kidnapping for ransom.

Following the rescue operation, police conducted several separate raids across Kedah, Penang and Kuala Lumpur as investigators worked to identify other individuals potentially connected to the case.

Those follow-up operations resulted in the arrest of six people aged between their 20s and 40s.

The detainees comprised one Malaysian man, four foreign men and one foreign woman.

Police said applications would be made on Saturday to remand all six suspects under Section 12 of the Kidnapping Act 1961 to assist with the investigation.

Authorities have not disclosed further details about the relationship between the suspects and the rescued victims or the circumstances leading to the alleged kidnapping.

The investigation remains ongoing as police work to establish the full extent of the suspected kidnapping network and determine whether additional individuals were involved.

Police have also urged the public to refrain from speculation or comments that could interfere with the investigation or distort information surrounding the case