(AFP File Photo)
By Nasser Al-Azazi
Armed militants launched attacks on military checkpoints Sunday morning in the cities of Al-Arish and Sheikh Zuweid in the North Sinai governorate.
Attacks were launched on Al-Arish’s third police station, along with the city’s Central Security Headquarters located in the neighborhood of Al-Musa’id and a number of security checkpoints in Sheikh Zuweid. The attacks resulted in the death of two soldiers and one civilian in Sheikh Zuweid. Another soldier was injured after attacks were launched on the Abu Tawila checkpoint in Sheikh Zuweid, while another sustained injuries in his shoulder after being fired upon while standing in front of the Al-Arish Agricultural Directorate. Both were transferred to the Al-Arish military hospital.
Security sources stated that two soldiers were killed in attacks launched in North Sinai, while a third was injured after unknown assailants launched attacks on the Al-Arish third police station. One civilian was killed and another injured after three attacks targeting security checkpoints were launched in Al-Arish. The source stated that unknown assailants fired upon the soldiers, who were standing outside of the police station, while on their way to eat breakfast. Two soldiers were killed instantly while a third was wounded.
Another attack was launched on armoured security vehicles immediately afterwards in the Al-Musa’id region of western Al-Arish, which resulted in the injury of Abdullah Mohamed Shaba’an, 45. Another civilian, Ahmed Isma’il, was injured during an attack launched on the Abu Tawila checkpoint in Sheikh Zuweid located along the Rafah/Al-Arish International Road.
Eyewitnesses stated that security forces were put on alert and spread throughout the city after the launching of the attacks. They stated that security precautions throughout the city were strengthened while search and seizure campaigns were conducted in regions that witnessed attacks. Ibrahim Mahmoud Awad, 40, died in Sheikh Zuweid after being attacked by unknown assailants while standing in a cafeteria located in the center of the city. A second citizen, Tamer Ramdan Mubarak, sustained bullet injuries meanwhile while walking through the city.
