Caught between reciprocating strategies of deception between security forces and Islamic State (IS) affiliated militant group “Sinai Province”, two low-ranking police officers were arrested over charges of collaborating with the Islamist militants.
The general prosecution on Sunday renewed the detention of the police officers, who serve in Al-Arish’s 2nd police station, in North Sinai for 15 days pending investigations. Five days prior, the two were arrested on a warrant issued by the prosecution, a North Sinai based journalist told Daily News Egypt on Sunday.
“The two low-ranking police officers are from Sharqeya and Minya governorates and face charges of being IS informers to affiliated militants who launch attacks against security forces in North Sinai,” he said.
The two low-ranking police officers guided militants to police force station points for and gave them information regarding the number of officers present and the movements of police armoured vehicles to facilitate the execution of IED attacks against them. They are currently being subjected to intense questioning led by the National Security Apparatus, he added.
Daily News Egypt contacted the Interior Ministry to obtain more details about the case, but requests went unanswered.
In light of police collaborating with Sinai militants, many North Sinai residents face the threat of being kidnapping and executed by members of the IS-affiliated ”Sinai Province” for collaborating with the army and police.
In June 2015, “Sinai Province” released footage of an alleged collaborator within their own ranks who was accused of assisting security forces. The video depicted the suspected collaborator forcibly carrying out alleged phone calls with an NSA officer and providing him with information regarding ”Sinai Province” movements.
The operator was then forced to dig his own grave and was later shot by other members of the group.
The footage provided the first clear sign of evidence of a potential spy game emerging between IS-affiliated militants and security forces.
