Security forces kill 4 terrorists in Upper Egypt

Four terrorists, planning attacks on the celebrations to mark the fifth anniversary of June 30 uprising, were today killed when security forces raided their headquarters in the Upper Egyptian city of Assiut, according to a media report.

Security forces raided the headquarters of the terror cell in the el-Sohagya area of Assiut and killed four terrorists in an exchange of fire.

Terrorists were preparing for attacks during the June 30 celebrations to mark the 2013 uprising that led to the toppling of Egypt's first-ever freely elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's government, the report said.

Egypt, especially North Sinai, has witnessed a number of terror attacks since the January 2011 revolution.

The attacks, mainly targeting police and military, increased after the ouster of Morsi in 2013 by the military in a bloody coup, following massive protests against his rule.

Hundreds of police and army personnel have been killed in these attacks.

Last week, Egyptian defence forces ave killed 32 terrorists and destroyed 272 militant hideouts during raids at various places in the restive North and Central Sinai.

The raids were part of the "Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018", a major operation launched by the Egyptian defence forces in February to flush out insurgents and bring an end to the terrorism in the Sinai region.

According to figures released by the military, 318 militants and 37 military personnel have so far been killed in the operation.