ISIS leader, 45 militants killed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula

The Egyptian army has announced that it has killed a key ISIS-allied leader along with 45 other militants in a military operation in the country's Sinai Peninsula.

The army in a statement said that head of the Ansar Bait al-Maqdis movement, identified as Abu Duaa al-Ansari, and a number of his aides were killed in airstrikes targeting the ISIS affiliate's strongholds.

"They managed to destroy a number of weapon and ammunition stores, and their explosives.. In addition they killed more than 45 terrorist insurgents and injured dozens of members," CNN quoted the statement as saying.

However, the army did not explain how it confirmed the death or provide any more details about Ansari.

Ansari's name has not been reported elsewhere in relation to Ansar Bait al-Maqdis.

Reports suggest that the group has adopted a different title after its alliance with ISIS in 2014.

It is still unclear whether the Egyptian army has characterised the jihadist group under its original name.

Ansar Beit el-Maqdes had pledged allegiance to IS in 2014.

The group claimed responsibility for downing the Russian airliner carrying people from an Egyptian resort last year that killed all 224 people on board.