CAIRO: A military helicopter destroyed a storehouse west of North Sinai’s town of Rafah Wednesday after intelligence information reported it was used to hide explosives, according to a statement by military spokesperson Mohamed Samir.
The helicopter also detected a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) loaded with weapons moving behind the target; two alleged militants were killed in the vehicles after it was shelled.
Amid tight security measures in Sinai as Egypt prepares to inaugurate the New Suez Canal, 20 “takfirist” were killed and seven suspected extremists were arrested earlier this month. A senior leader of Sinai province militant group was killed in his home in Sheikh Zuwayed in North Sinai, according to Samir.
The most recent attack by the Islamic State’s affiliate in Egypt was carried out on July 1, killing 17 Egyptian soldiers. More than 200 militants were killed in return, according to Egypt’s military.