Seven suspected terrorists were killed in a fire exchange with security forces in Al-Arish, North of Sinai, according to an interior ministry statement.
The security forces launched a raid on a terrorist hideout in a remote area in Al-Arish, the ministry said. During the raid, the militants exchanged fire with officers and seven terrorists were killed, the ministry added.
The National Security Apparatus identified the hideout of the terrorist cell which was planning to target vital installations inside the country, the ministry added.
The forces found two automatic firearms, three explosive devices, and three shotguns, according to the ministry.
Last week, the interior ministry arrested 54 suspected Muslim Brotherhood members who the ministry said are accused of planning to launch potential aggressive attacks in parallel with the eighth anniversary of the January 25 Revolution. According to the ministry, the suspects, headed by some of the group’s leaders who escaped in foreign lands, used the internet to recruit new followers and incite violent demonstrations.
Since October 2014, a state of emergency has been imposed in North Sinai. The governorate has been rocked by several terrorist attacks since 2013, targeting hundreds of security personnel, mostly carried out by the Islamic State terrorist group’s branch in Sinai.
A year ago, the military launched a comprehensive operation, dubbed ‘Sinai 2018’, to confront militants in central and North Sinai, the Nile Delta region, and the Western Desert.
