(El Arish) – Militants unleashed a wave of simultaneous attacks, including a suicide car bombing, on Egyptian army checkpoints in the restive north of the Sinai Peninsula, killing at least 30 soldiers, security and military officials said.
The attacks took place just south of the town of Sheikh Zuweid and targeted at least six military checkpoints. The militants also took soldiers captive and seized several armoured vehicles, they added, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
The attacks came just two days after the assassination in Cairo of the country’s top prosecutor, Hisham Barakat, and just one day after President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi vowed to step up a two-year crackdown on militants.
(Courtesy WAM)