Skip to main content

Militant clashes kill nine Egyptian soldiers in Sinai

Egypt's military said nine soldiers were killed in counterterror operations.
Egyptian Special Forces stand guard outside the International Congress Centre on Feb. 24, 2019, ahead of first joint European Union and Arab League summit in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Nine Egyptian soldiers were killed in clashes with Islamist militants in Sinai, Egypt’s military announced late on Thursday.

A roadside bomb reportedly struck an armored vehicle in the northern Sinai peninsula and killed at least seven Egyptian soldiers, including an officer, and wounded six others.

The Islamic State’s Sinai branch claimed responsibility for the attack near New Rafah, on the Gaza border. The wounded were taken to a military hospital in the North Sinai town of El Arish, Agence France-Presse cited security and medical sources as saying.

Egypt’s armed forces spokesperson, Lt. Col. Gharib Abdel Hafez Gharib, announced yesterday that a total of nine soldiers had been killed in Sinai clashes. Garib’s statement did not specify which attacks. Gharib also announced the killing of 13 terrorists in central and north Sinai in counterterrorism operations.

Egypt’s military has been battling an Islamist insurgency in north Sinai that worsened following the overthrow of democratically elected President Mohammed Morsi in 2013. Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, was deposed by then-Defense Minister and now-President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

The most prominent Islamist militant group in Sinai, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2014.

The militants commonly target Egyptian military convoys with IEDs and assault police checkpoints in the Sinai desert. Fighters overtook a checkpoint in Sheikh Zuweid in July, killing five security members and wounding six others.

Egypt’s military has struggled to eradicate the insurgency and has been accused of human rights abuses amid the campaign. Egypt has declared North Sinai a military zone closed to media and non-governmental organizations.

Sisi’s regime has held an estimated 60,000 political prisoners since the 2013 coup, which was backed by state-influenced media outlets and a popular uprising against the Brotherhood.

Last week, the Pentagon’s top official for Middle East policy, Dana Stroul, made the case before Congress for continued foreign aid to Egypt amid a push by lawmakers to withhold some aid to Cairo over human rights concerns.

Join hundreds of Middle East professionals with Al-Monitor PRO.

Business and policy professionals use PRO to monitor the regional economy and improve their reports, memos and presentations. Try it for free and cancel anytime.

Already a Member? Sign in

Free

The Middle East's Best Newsletters

Join over 50,000 readers who access our journalists dedicated newsletters, covering the top political, security, business and tech issues across the region each week.
Delivered straight to your inbox.

Free

What's included:
Our Expertise

Free newsletters available:

  • The Takeaway & Week in Review
  • Middle East Minute (AM)
  • Daily Briefing (PM)
  • Business & Tech Briefing
  • Security Briefing
  • Gulf Briefing
  • Israel Briefing
  • Palestine Briefing
  • Turkey Briefing
  • Iraq Briefing
Expert

Premium Membership

Join the Middle East's most notable experts for premium memos, trend reports, live video Q&A, and intimate in-person events, each detailing exclusive insights on business and geopolitical trends shaping the region.

$25.00 / month
billed annually

Become Member Start with 1-week free trial
What's included:
Our Expertise AI-driven

Memos - premium analytical writing: actionable insights on markets and geopolitics.

Live Video Q&A - Hear from our top journalists and regional experts.

Special Events - Intimate in-person events with business & political VIPs.

Trend Reports - Deep dive analysis on market updates.

All premium Industry Newsletters - Monitor the Middle East's most important industries. Prioritize your target industries for weekly review:

  • Capital Markets & Private Equity
  • Venture Capital & Startups
  • Green Energy
  • Supply Chain
  • Sustainable Development
  • Leading Edge Technology
  • Oil & Gas
  • Real Estate & Construction
  • Banking

We also offer team plans. Please send an email to pro.support@al-monitor.com and we'll onboard your team.

Already a Member? Sign in

Start your PRO membership today.

Join the Middle East's top business and policy professionals to access exclusive PRO insights today.

Join Al-Monitor PRO Start with 1-week free trial