Egypt Airstrike Kills 23 Militants in Sinai

Last year, the terror group declared allegiance to the Islamic State and changed its name to “Wilayat Sinai“. “In a blessed raid enabled by God, the lions of the caliphate have simultaneously attacked more than 15 checkpoints belonging to the apostate army”, it said in a statement.

The latest bloodshed came as Egypt was marking the second anniversary of Morsi’s July 3 overthrow, although the celebrations were muted amid Monday’s killing of Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat and fears of unrest by the former president’s supporters.

The army said five checkpoints were attacked by about 70 militants and that soldiers had destroyed three landcruisers fitted with anti-aircraft guns. “The two armies may already be coordinating in preparation for such a possibility”.

The MENA report didn’t describe the proposed laws.

This prompted the Egyptian authorities to deploy large security forces to maintain order in other parts of Egypt, thus decreasing their presence in Sinai.

ISIS apparently launched simultaneous attacks Wednesday on Egyptian military checkpoints, reportedly killing 17 Egyptian soldiers and injuring 30 others.

“Any terrorist or criminal attacks that aim to sow chaos… will be confronted”, the cabinet said, citing the interior minister. Revenge, said a headline in Al Akhbar.

The officials say three automatic rifles and a hundred rounds of ammunition were found in the residence. No security forces were wounded, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to brief the press.

The increased security measures were implemented over concerns of border infiltration by the radical Islamist militants and potential abduction attempts, military sources told the Israeli news outlet.

The planning and coordinated execution of the Sinai attack shows the insurgency in the area is growing stronger, especially since Morsi’s ouster and the crackdown on Islamic militants. On Thursday, Israel reopened border crossings with Egypt and Gaza it had closed after the attacks.

The coordinated assault, claimed by an Islamic State affiliate, is the deadliest attack in the Sinai since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. Clashes were still ongoing through Wednesday afternoon.

“This is war”, a senior military officer told AFP.

ISIS claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s attacks in the restive Sinai province in statements posted on Twitter.

Egyptian soldiers sit atop a military personnel carrier securing… Twenty-two militants were killed in the attacks, Samir added.

“There were no clashes”, he said.

The vital tourism industry faces new threats from militants just as the government had begun to predict a recovery. At least 100 people died in the fighting that was still continuing hours later.

The fighting primarily took place in the towns of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah, and the militants used vehicle-borne explosives and various weapons.

The assault came a day after Egypts President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi pledged to step up the battle against Islamic militants, and two days after the chief prosecutor was assassinated in the capital, Cairo.

Under the terms of Egypt’s 1979 peace accord with Israel, the Sinai is largely demilitarized.

The officials say the number of troops killed has now climbed to 38.

Dozens of rebels linked to the Islamic State militant group carried out the simultaneous attacks on Wednesday which left more than 100 people dead.

State-owned newspapers rallied around Egypt’s army.

Attacks such as the blitz in Sinai, which involved rockets, mortars, scores of jihadi fighters and auto bombs, expose how hard that will be.