Egypt: Egypt says recent Sinai clashes killed 7 troops and 59 jihadist militants
At least seven Egyptian soldiers, including an officer, have been killed in clashes with jihadist militants in recent operations in restive northern Sinai Peninsula, the Egyptian army said Tuesday.
The military said in a statement that forces have killed at least 59 suspected militants and arrested another 142 suspected militants and criminals, and airstrikes destroyed 56 vehicles containing weapons and ammunition in the Western Desert, south and northeastern border areas.
The military statement gave no timeframe for the recent operations. It wasn’t possible to independently confirm the details as access to northern Sinai is heavily restricted.
Since the army toppled Egypt’s Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, hundreds of policemen and soldiers have been killed in attacks in the Sinai by jihadists and other extremist groups, including the Islamic State-affiliated Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis.