Egyptian army kills 17 militants in Sinai
Four leading members of Ansar Bait al-Maqdis were arrested
Egypt’s armed forces killed 17 members of the al-Qaeda-inspired Ansar bait al-Maqdis during an anti-terror security operation in Sinai, the military said.
Four leading members of the group, which has claimed a wave of attacks against security forces, were arrested during the operations, which were still underway early Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.
The assault was carried out against militant hideouts in three villages south of the town of Sheikh Zuweyid and in the Mahdiya village near Rafah, which is on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to brief the media.
Ansar Beit al-Maqdis has claimed most of the major militant attacks in Egypt since the 2013 ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. It has also recently beheaded several people it accused of spying for Israel.
[With AP]
