Dozens held during security drive in Egypt

Cairo, Sep 20 (IANS/EFE) As many as 48 people were arrested from the outskirts of Egyptian capital city Thursday as security forces clashed with gunmen during a security operation in a town.

Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim said the operation was launched to round up those responsible for last month's attack on Kerdasa town's police station.

Police and army soldiers took back control of the town's main streets from Islamist groups as a result of the raids, although there were still pockets of armed resistance in some areas, security spokespersons said.

The 48 detainees included the three main suspects in an Aug 14 attack on the town's police station that left nearly a dozen law-enforcement officers dead, state media reported.

A senior police officer was killed in Thursday's clashes and five police and four soldiers were wounded by a grenade hurled by an armed man, who was subsequently arrested.

Four other members of the security forces were reportedly wounded early Thursday at the outset of the operation.

--IANS/EFE

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