Egyptian police kill 16 terrorists

Egyptian security forces today killed 14 terrorists in an encounter in the country's northeast, the interior ministry said, a day after 23 Army personnel were killed in a militant attack in the restive North Sinai region.
The ministry said in a statement that the security forces raided a training camp for new recruits in Ismailia organised by terrorists who had reached there from across the country.
The new recruits were being given physical training and lessons in use of weapons at the camp, it said.
"When the police approached the camp, the terrorists opened fire on them," it said, adding that 14 terrorists were killed in gun battle.

The raid was part of a security operation launched against terrorists who attacked police and army personnel in North Sinai recently.
Five of the 14 terrorist were being sought by authorities for attacks related to the Islamic State, the statement added.

Separately, two terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in 6th of October city in Giza governorate, the ministry said in a another statement.
The two terrorists belonged to the Hasm group, which has claimed several attacks against judges and policemen near Cairo in the past one year.
Egypt has witnessed terrorists attacks since the January 2011 revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak.

The attacks, mainly targeting police and military personnel, increased after the ouster of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in 2013 by the military following massive protests against his rule.
Hundreds of police and army personnel have been killed since then.
Yesterday, 23 Army personnel were killed in an attack in the North Sinai city of Rafah; more than 40 terrorists were also killed.