Egypt security forces raid Islamist town

A senior Egyptian police officer was killed as security forces today stormed a suburb of Cairo known to be an Islamist stronghold amid a crackdown on militants.
Security forces stormed the Kerdasa area to arrest people accused of torching police stations and killing around 11 security officers in clashes in the district following the army's ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi on July 3.
Kerdasa police station was abandoned after it was hit with rocket propelled grenades and gunfire on August 14 - the same day security forces dispersed pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo and Giza.
The operation in Kerdasa comes after Monday's crackdown in the southern town of Dalja in Minya province, which was partially controlled by Morsi supporters.

The village witnessed attacks on churches and police stations following Morsi's ouster. Security forces also arrested 56 people.
The source said that the forces sieged the house in which Assem Abd-al-Maged, key figure in the Al-Jamaa slamiyah [Islamic Group], is staying.

Egyptian state-run reported that 53 people were arrested including Ahmed Iways, the man accused of killing the head of Kirdasah police station on August 14.
Egyptian security forces had moved to Kirdasah in Giza in an operation it said was to "purge it of terrorist and armed elements".
The Interior Ministry mobilised scores of armoured vehicles and deployed forces around all the area's entries and exits in order to prevent the escape of gunmen.

Giza's Assistant Security Chief Nabil Farrag was wounded in the crackdown and later died of wounds sustained.
Two hundred combat units of the Special Forces and 40 formations of the Central Security Force in addition to Criminal Investigation Department forces and the Giza national security force are taking part in the operation.