No less than 70 militants were killed in North Sinai by Egyptian security forces over the past 48 hours following a deadly attack by the Islamic State-affiliated Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis on the city of Sheikh Zuwied, state-owned MENA reported.
Security sources told MENA that 35 militants were killed Wednesday night while another 35 militants were killed on Thursday. The sources added that those militants were killed during their attempt to escape the Egyptian air forces’ strikes and that they were killed by the landmines they had previously planted on the highways targeting Egyptian security forces.
The sources revealed that among the militants who were killed on Thursday was leading Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis figure Kamal Allam.
On Wednesday, North Sinai witnessed the largest terrorist attack of its kind by ABM militants where battles between the Egyptian armed forces and militants continued for several hours in the Sheikh Zuwied area.
Battles between Islamist militants and the Egyptian army in North Sinai left at least 117 people dead — 17 army soldiers and 100 militants, according to official statements by the Egyptian armed forces.
