Situation in Sinai under control: Egyptian army

A day after terrorist attacks and subsequent clashes in the northern Sinai Peninsula, Egyptian armed forces on Thusday confirmed that the security situation in the area was calm and under control.

There has been no fighting recorded and the area's main streets and roads are empty, a security official told Efe news agency.

The situation in Sinai is "100 percent under control", military spokesman Mohamed Samir said.

"The army will not, under any circumstances, allow any terrorist group to dominate even a millimeter of Sinai," the spokesman stressed.

Islamic State-affiliated Wilayat Sina (Sinai Province) militant group attacked several security positions in the area on Wednesday and engaged in direct, unprecedented clashes with the military.

At least 17 soldiers and more than 100 militants were killed during the clashes, according to an official military statement.

The army spokesman released dozens of photos on his official Facebook page showing the bodies of the militants.

Wednesday's series of attacks came two days after the assassination of Egyptian prosecutor general Hisham Barakat in Cairo, while other minor attacks were reported in the past 24 hours around the capital.