Egypt army seizes weapons stockpile in Sinai, says spokesman

Egypt's armed forces have seized a stockpile of anti-aircraft missiles in Sinai, military spokesman Ahmed Ali said on Sunday in a press conference.

The spokesman also said the army will continue operations in Sinai until “terrorism” is defeated.

“Egypt’s national security has been under a threat because of the situation in Sinai,” Ali said, adding that security will be restored under a development plan in the region.

The Egyptian armed forces have launched large scale military operations against militants in Sinai in an attempt to suppress the insurgency which erupted in the peninsula after the army overthrew Egypt’s Islamist President Mohammad Mursi on July 3.

The military spokesman said the armed forces seized a stock of weapons in Sinai and arrested 309 people involved in recent violence. Two explosive devices under a control tower on the border with Gaza were also found.

“We also seized military uniforms which were used by Hamas,” Ali said.

Ali said the army recently destroyed more than 154 tunnels on the border with Gaza.