Over 40 Daesh Affiliates Eliminated in Egypt’s North Sinai - Reports

Egyptian forces have destroyed over 40 Daesh affiliates in the north of Sinai Peninsula, Sky News Arabia reports.

CAIRO (Sputnik) – Egyptian attack helicopters started an operation against militants from the "Sinai Province" ("Wilayat Sinai") group after Daesh affiliates blew up an armored vehicle south of the town of Sheikh Zuweid in Egypt’s North Sinai Governorate, the TV channel said.

Egypt has been conducting anti-terrorist operations in North Sinai for the last two years, amid the rise of Islamists in the region, particularly the "Sinai Province" militant group, known as Ansar Bait al-Maqdis before its members took an oath of allegiance to the radical Sunni Daesh group in the fall of 2014.

Ansar Bait al-Maqdis emerged after the 2011 Egyptian revolution, which forced former President Hosni Mubarak out of power after an over 30-year rule. The militants aim to topple Egypt’s current government.

In August 2015, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi signed a tougher and controversial anti-terrorism bill into law to combat the recent spike in attacks on the Sinai Peninsula.