Egypt Army kills 30 terrorists, arrests 173 in Sinai

Egyptian Army has killed 30 terrorists and lost three of its soldiers during a major military operation against the Islamic State terror group in the restive central and north Sinai Peninsula, an official statement said today.

North Sinai has witnessed many terror attacks since the January 2011 revolution.

The attacks, mainly targeting police and military, increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 by the military following massive protests against his rule. Hundreds of police and army personnel have been killed since then.

A total of 173 suspects have also been arrested and two defence personnel were injured during the raids, the Army statement said, adding that Nasser Abu Zaqoul, a top commander of a terrorist group in central Sinai, was among those killed.

The military and police forces, in the joint operation, also destroyed three militant hideout and destroyed 10 vehicles carrying arms and ammunitions, it said, without mentioning when the raids were carried out.

The security forces have also seized and destroyed 26 cars and 25 motorbikes without number plates during the raids.

A total of 437 hideouts, warehouses, a number of tunnels in Rafah in North Sinai were destroyed during the raids, the statement said.

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