Egyptian army eliminates 53 Islamic militants, arrests 680 suspects in week-long offensive

NewsBharati    16-Feb-2018
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Cairo, February 16: In the week-long strike against militants, Egypt’s military and police forces have killed 53 Islamist militants and arrested 680 suspects. The operation is underway mainly in restive northern Sinai Peninsula, the stronghold of Islamist insurgents.

The air force has carried out more than 100 airstrikes in northern and central Sinai since the operation began. Forces even found and destroyed hundreds of militant hideouts, targets, and explosive devices. Egyptian authority said the operation would end when Sinai was free of “terrorists”.

Egypt army launched a major security operation against “terrorist and criminal elements and organizations” on Friday. The Army Spokesperson of Egypt announced the operation which is being held in the Nile Delta and the northern Sinai Peninsula. The country's army, navy and air force is involved in the operation.

The area is the heart of persistent Islamic State group insurgency. The aim is to crush years-long Islamist insurgency within a three-month deadline set by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Since the army overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, security forces are more targeting the jihadists.

“The use of brute force against terrorism comes in line with the ongoing internal development in all fields and with Egypt's moves to maintain and achieve its strategic interests and national goals," Egypt’s presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement earlier.

Egypt Egyptian Army Islamist Insurgency North Sinai Operation 2018