Egyptian security forces have killed 15 suspected militants in a shootout during a raid on their hideout near al-Arish, the capital of North Sinai province. The terrorists were suspected of planning attacks on security checkpoints ahead of the 45th anniversary of Egypt’s October 6, 1973, war with Israel.
The police also recovered assorted weapons including automatics guns from a farm West of al-Arish where the suspected militants were hiding. The raid comes as the Egyptian army, backed by police, push ahead with a military operation to crush Islamist militants behind a wave of attacks on civilians and military personnel in Sinai.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered the troops in November 2017 to defeat Islamist militants within three months following an attack on a mosque in Sinai where more than 300 people were killed. Conquering the militants and restoring security after years of unrest has been a key promise of Sisi, who was re-elected in March in a landslide victory against no real opposition.
