3 militants killed, 54 arrested in raids by Egyptian military

Three militants have been killed and 54 others arrested in raids conducted in North Sinai over the last three days, the Egyptian military said today.

Eight vehicles and 26 motorcycles belonging to militants were also destroyed during the raids, military spokesperson Mohamed Samir said.

The military destroyed 4 tunnels leading to Gaza that were used by terrorists to smuggle weapons, he said.

Another 122 illegal immigrants of different nationalities were also arrested, Samir said.

North Sinai has been the scene of many violent attacks by Islamist militants since the January 2011 revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

The attacks targeting police and military have increased after the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi last year.
 

Many policemen and soldiers have been killed in the attacks.

The military conducts frequent security campaigns in the area, arrests suspects and demolishes houses that belong to terrorists, including tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.