Egyptian forces have killed 11 ISIS militants armed with assault rifles in a firefight that began during a dawn raid on a desert cave south of Cairo. The area where the attack took place is close to the city of Assuit and approximately 200miles south of Cairo.
The officials say the men killed Wednesday had been in possession of weapons and ammunition, including explosives, in the Western Desert near the Farafra depression, and had planned hostile operations.
Egypt launched a nationwide operation against militants in February. It has struggled to combat a long-running insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula that is now affiliated with the Islamic State group, and which has also carried out attacks on the mainland.
