RAFAH, Egypt — The militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis has been significantly restoring its power and presence in the Sinai Peninsula, despite the heavy blows delivered during battles with the Egyptian army, which have been ongoing for more than a year. The group has been able to continuously adapt its tactics in the war while the Egyptian army has remained faithful to its traditional routine in military operations.
At the beginning of the war on terrorism, which began on Aug. 7, 2013, the Egyptian army succeeded in draining the sources of arms supply to the group. The security headquarters of the group was targeted both day and night, until the Egyptian army was able to displace and track the members of the group through fierce, daily military operations. These have been encumbering the daily life of residents in Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah.
