Egypt says 27 militants killed in Sinai, border with Libya

Egypt says its security forces have killed at least 27 suspected militants in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula and along its porous border with Libya.

The military said Wednesday that forces destroyed 342 hideouts and weapons depots, dismantled 344 explosive devices and detained more than 400 suspects and around 3,000 illegal migrants, without giving a timeframe.

It says airstrikes destroyed 61 vehicles containing weapons and ammunition in the Western Desert.

It says one soldier was killed in a shootout with militants.

It wasn't possible to independently confirm the details as access to the northern Sinai is heavily restricted.

Egypt launched a nationwide operation against militants in February.

It has struggled to defeat a long-running insurgency in the Sinai that is now affiliated with the Islamic State group.