Seven members of the same family were injured Friday night by a bomb in the North Sinai town Al-Arish, which was planted near a police officer’s house.
The bombing caused damage to neighbouring houses, causing the injury of one man, his wife and their four children, according to the security forces. The seven are currently in hospital being treated for their injuries.
Sinai-based militants have been targeting security personnel since the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. In different digital material, the militants threatened security forces. However, the group’s reach has extended to killing civilians for being “army informants”.
Last Tuesday, a video by militant group “State of Sinai” claimed the killing of a man by gunshot under the accusation he was an informant for the security forces. The video did not show the dates when the incidents happened, however, with several decapitated bodies already having been found over the past month.
The armed group has since been calling for North Sinai residents to join their side against the armed forces and the Egyptian state, through distributing threatening leaflets to residents.
A large scale attack was launched on 29 January targeting several security facilities, leaving at least 30 security personnel dead.
The group pledged allegiance to the “Islamic State” in November 2014 when it rebranded itself as “State of Sinai”, instead of Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis.
North Sinai tribes have announced their stance against the “Islamic State” affiliates, and their support for the Egyptian army. They formed a Tribes Union involving North Sinai’s renowned tribes, notably Al-Tarabeen and Al-Sawarka.
In a recent development, the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt has been opened for Palestinians to return to and leave Palestinian territories.
