Egyptian Military Destroys 19 Terrorist Targets in Sinai, Killing Eight

The Egyptian military has liquidated 19 terrorist targets, killing eight of the religious extremists and injuring ten more during special operations in North Sinai Governorate, news portal Youm7 reported Wednesday, citing military sources.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the portal, the Egyptian law enforcement forces security operations which continued in the North Sinai area saw "at least 19 terrorist targets being hit, while killing eight and wounding 10 insurgents, and also destroying five trenches used as hideouts and underground stores of weapons and explosives."

The sources added that the security forces had foiled four terrorist attacks during the operation.

The state of emergency and curfews were declared in several North Sinai areas in October 2014 after a series of terror attacks that left 33 people dead. This marked the start of a sweeping security operation and the creation of a buffer zone along the border with Gaza.

On May 24, the Egyptian parliament voted to extend the state of emergency until July 29.

In 2014, an indigenous militant group in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, a terrorist organization outlawed in numerous countries, including the United States and Russia. The self-proclaimed Wilayat Sinai has subsequently claimed responsibility for a number of deadly attacks against Egyptian security forces in North Sinai.