Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail has renewed a nighttime curfew in designated areas of North Sinai just days after a deadly attack that killed dozens of army personnel. According to state-run news agency MENA, the curfew runs from Tal Rafah in the eastern part of Sinai to the international border at Rafah, and from Halal Mountain until Ouga on the border. An announcement in the Official Gazette stated that the curfew runs from 7 pm until 6 am the following day, except in Al-Arish city and on the international road, where it runs from 1 am to 5 am, or until further notice. The decision by Ismail comes just a few days after Egypt's parliament approved an extension of a nationwide state of emergency for three months starting July 10. On Friday morning, Egypt's military announced that dozens of army personnel were killed and injured in an attack involving car bombs that targeted a security checkpoint near Rafah in North Sinai. The statement said that the army killed 40 militants in the attack. The military has not provided a further breakdown of casualty figures. Daesh has claimed responsibility for the attack. Security forces have been battling an Islamist insurgency for several years in North Sinai, with militants killing hundreds of security personnel. Egyptian troops have also killed hundreds of militants during operations in the border region.
