On 12 October 2017, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines formally launched the Trilateral Air Patrol (TAP) initiative. The TAP initiative is a part of the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement between the three countries to ensure security in the Sulu Seas, which overlap the - maritime waters of the three countries. The waters have in recent time been the scene of a number of hijackings and hostage scenarios from merchant vessels and since 2013 often used by armed groups operating in the Philippines to conduct cross border kidnappings in the Malaysian state of Sabah.
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