Egyptian army says 88 militants killed in past 4 days during military raids

Military operations in the past four days have seen 88 militants killed in Egypt's restive North Sinai province so far, army has said.

In a statement, Egyptian army spokesperson Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said that the raids targeted militants in the cities of Shiekh Zwayed and Rafah in the province.

Samir said that 88 militants were killed in army raids during the past four days in North Sinai.

He added that 263 hideouts and shelters, 57 houses, 10 vehicles and five motorcycles used by militants in their terrorist attacks were destroyed.

Three suspected militants were arrested during the raids, Samir said.

The raids were part of the third stage of the "Martyr's Right", the largest and most comprehensive military operation aimed at rooting out militants based in the Sinai.

The first stage of "Martyr's Right" was launched by security forces in response to an attack in October 2014 that killed 33 security personnel.

Meanwhile, four security forces members were killed yesterday when they were trying to defuse a bomb in Egypt's restive North Sinai province, medical and security officials said.

The bodies were transferred to the Al-Arish military hospital while security forces have combed the area for other potential bombs, they said.

Egypt's North Sinai has witnessed many violent attacks by militants since the January 2011 revolution that toppled ex-president Hosni Mubarak.

The attacks targeting police and military increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, following massive protests against his rule, by the military.

Over 700 security personnel have been reported killed since then.

The military has launched security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.