Egypt says 21 fighters killed during raids in Sinai

Armed groups were planning attacks during the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which started on Sunday, government says.

Military forces are seen in North Sinai
Security forces found automatic weapons and suicide belts in the hideouts on Saturday [Mohamed Abd el-Ghany/Reuters]

Egypt said on Saturday that 21 fighters were killed in clashes with security forces in the restive Sinai Peninsula, where armed groups have waged a long-running rebellion.

The interior ministry said in a statement that police raided two hideouts of “terrorist elements” in North Sinai governorate, sparking a gun battle in which two officers were also wounded.

It said the two groups had been planning attacks during the major Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which started in Egypt on Sunday.

Security forces found automatic weapons and suicide belts in the hideouts.

The military has for years battled the rebellion in the Sinai Peninsula – in Egypt’s northeast – that is spearheaded by a local affiliate of the armed group ISIL (ISIS).

The fighting intensified after the military’s 2013 overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi.

In February 2018, security forces launched a nationwide operation against fighters focused on North Sinai.

About 950 suspects have been killed in the region along with dozens of security personnel, according to official figures.

Source: News Agencies