Multiple militant attacks in Egypt's Sinai leave five dead

Multiple militant attacks in Egypt's Sinai leave five dead
Three security officers and two civilians were killed Thursday in multiple attacks in Egypt's restive Sinai Peninsula, which is suffering a violent jihadist insurgency.
2 min read
02 September, 2016
Militants have launched near daily attacks on security forces in Sinai [AFP]

Three security officers and two civilians were killed Thursday in multiple attacks in Egypt’s restive Sinai Peninsula, in yet another day of militant violence.

A police sergeant and a civilian were killed on Thursday afternoon when a roadside bomb targeted a police armoured vehicle in the city of al-Arish, northern Sinai.

Medical sources told The New Arab that Sergeant Jamal Juma Abdul Aziz and a civilian passerby, taxi driver Hilmi Mohammad Shaltut, were killed in the attack that took place in the city's Sad al-Wadi district.

Two other police officers were wounded in the attack and transported to the Arish military hospital, the sources added.

In a separate attack, an army officer was killed and four conscripts were wounded when gunmen attacked a security building in the northern Sinai town of Sheikh Zuweid on Thursday.

Local sources told The New Arab that Captain Mohammad Ayman was killed in clashes with gunmen believed to be from the local Islamic State group franchise, Wilayat Sinai.

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A separate roadside bomb targeted a military armoured vehicle at the western entrance of Sheikh Zuweid killing an officer and injuring four soldiers.

In yet another attack on Thursday evening, a civilian was shot dead by militants in central Sinai after being accused of cooperating with the Egyptian army.

Jihadists in Sinai have launched an insurgency against government forces since Egypt's military overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

The majority of the near daily attacks that have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers have been claimed by "The Sinai Province", the Egyptian branch of IS.

Last month, the army announced that it had killed the leader of IS in Sinai, Abu Duaa al-Ansari and a number of his top aides, however the attacks have not ceased.

Despite the massive military campaign to uproot IS from Sinai, the jihadists have kept up the attacks with roadside bombs and ambushes in the eastern peninsula.

The group has also claimed responsibility for bombing a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers from an Egyptian resort last year, killing all 224 people on board.