The Egyptian interior ministry said on Friday in a statement that police in North Sinai killed 10 terrorist who were involved in a number of terrorist attacks, including the attacks on security checkpoints earlier this week that left eight policemen one civilian dead. They were killed after a firefight followed a police raid on their hideout, the ministry said. On 9 January, militants attacked two checkpoints in North Sinai, including a major terrorist attack on El-Matafe checkpoint in El-Arish, according to a previous interior ministry statement. The ministry said security forces were able to "fight off the terrorist attack," killing five militants and injuring three others. The second attack targeted El-Masaeed checkpoint on the Ring Road, killing a police conscript during an exchange of fire with security forces. The Islamic State militant group has claimed responsibility for Monday's terrorist attacks. The Egyptian army and police have been battling an entrenched Islamist insurgency for several years in North Sinai.
