(AFP Photo)
A car coming from the Rafah border area opened heavy fire on a security checkpoint near Sheikh Zewaid Wednesday.
The attack took place as the Commander of the Second Field Army Major General Ahmed Wasfy was overseeing the security situation in the area of Sheikh Zuweid, according to Major Ahmed Shaaban, office manager of army spokesperson Colonel Ahmed Mohamed Aly.
After a firefight, security forces confiscated the car used in the attack. An injured girl was found inside the car, and died shortly after her arrival at Arish General Hospital.
Security forces were able to arrest the driver while his accomplice was able to escape.
This incident comes after a series of attacks that have targeted security checkpoints and personnel in Sinai over the past week.
The army stated that the incident highlighted the use of children by “outlaws and terrorists” as means of propaganda against the army and to market false images to the media “for suspicious objectives.”
The Muslim Brotherhood released a statement condemning the attack and stressing that their fight against the “coup” was peaceful. They perceived the attack to be targeting the commander.
Secretary General of the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party Hussein Ibrahim described the incident as “a serious development and a bad sign of more violence, [which is] rejected by the party”.
