CAIRO: Egypt’s cabinet decided Saturday to extend the state of emergency in North Sinai for another period of three month starting July 26, according to the Egyptian Official Gazette.
The state of emergency was imposed in October 2014 following an attack that killed over 30 soldiers. It was extended twice before Saturday; three months each.
It will be applied on the areas of Rafah’s hill and Al Ouga town east of North Sinai governorate and from western Arish to the Al-Halal Mountain to the east. A nighttime curfew will also continue in the mentioned areas.
The curfew will be imposed starting from 7 pm to 6 am the next day, while in certain parts of Arish City; the curfew will start from 12 pm to 6 am the next day.
According to the decision, the army and the police are responsible for “fighting terrorism” in the peninsula. Also, those who violate the decision or resist it might face imprisonment.
An escalated military campaign is taking place in the peninsula to combat the rise of militancy, which has been targeting army and police posts and personnel since the 2013 ouster of President Mohamed Morsi.
Simultaneous attacks on military checkpoints in North Sinai were launched July 1, leaving 17 soldiers killed and some 30 injured.
The Sinai Province, affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) group, claimed responsibility of the attacks. The Sinai-based militant group, previously known as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis before pledging allegiance to IS, has been behind most of the attacks targeting the military in the peninsula.