Military confrontations against extremist groups in Sinai have expanded to include Sinai tribes as well as the Egyptian army.
On Dec. 18, the Sinai Tribes Union website published pictures of an operation carried out by tribesmen in El-Ajra area, in the south of Rafah, against members of extremist groups. And on Dec. 19, the union's official website published video clips of a clash between tribesmen and two members of jihadi groups in the village of El-Ajra in North Sinai. Both operations resulted in the killing of the jihadi members.