Cairo: At least 21 terrorists were killed today in army raids on militant hideouts in Egypt’s North Sinai while a roadside bomb claimed the lives of two policemen in the restive governorate.
Military spokesperson Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said 21 militants were killed while 24 hideouts and 40 motorcycles used by terrorists were also destroyed.
The army operations were part of a retaliation campaign launched to avenge last week’s militant attack that killed 12 soldiers in North Sinai.
Earlier in the day, a statement by the Ministry of Interior said that a roadside bomb exploded in Al-Arish city of North Sinai killing two policemen and injuring a conscript.
Egypt has witnessed a series of terrorist attacks which have targeted policemen, judges and military personnel in different parts of the country.
Since the 2011 revolution that topped ex-president Hosni Mubarak, North Sinai, which is the base of a number of extremist groups, became the main stage of many violent attacks by militants.
The attacks increased after the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 following massive protests against his rule.
Over 700 security personnel have been reported killed since then.
The military has launched security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.
PTI