Egypt’s army said on Wednesday that an Islamic State leader was killed during security raids in Central Sinai.
Military spokesman Tamer al-Refai said in a statement that Nasser Zaqoul, the leader of the hardline group
in Central Sinai, was killed in a shoot-out with troops who raided a number of mountainous areas in the province.
Al-Rfai said a machine gun, two hand grenades and ammunition were found with the slain militant.
Sinai when militants blew themselves up.
The military said the suicide bombers were part of a group of 14 militants who attempted to attack a military
base in the region.
The military also said the remaining militants were killed in a shoot-out with troops at the base.
In February, Egypt launched a major security operation against “terrorists and criminal organizations” in the
Sinai Peninsula – where security forces are battling Islamist militants – and elsewhere.
Egypt has seen a spate of attacks targeting security forces, mainly in northern Sinai, since the army’s 2013
overthrow of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi.
Source: (NAN)
