At least 13 militants were killed and 388 arrested in separate raids by the Egyptian army in the restive North Sinai governorate, army said today.
110 headquarters belonging to militants and 16 tunnel openings were also wiped out in the raids launched between 27 and 31 December, army spokesperson Mohamed Samir said, adding that 48 unlicensed vehicles used by militants while attacking army and police personnel were destroyed.
The attacks targeting police and military increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi last year.
Over 500 policemen and soldiers, have been killed in the attacks.
The government declared a state of emergency in parts of North Sinai after an October 24 suicide attack near Al-Arish killed 30 soldiers in the deadliest assault on security forces since Morsi’s ouster.
Militant groups claim their attacks are in retaliation for a government crackdown targeting Morsi’s supporters that has left hundreds dead and thousands jailed.
The army has launched frequent security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.
