Egypt has renewed a nighttime curfew in designated areas of North Sinai following last week's extension of a nationwide state of emergency for three months starting 13 January. Acting Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a decree published in the state's official gazette that the curfew covers Tal Rafah in the eastern part of Sinai to the international border at Rafah, and from Halal Mountain until Ouga on the border. The curfew is in effect from 7pm until 6am (local time), except in El-Arish city and on the international road, where it runs from 1am to 5am. The curfew will continue as long as the state of emergency is still in effect, according to the gazette. Egypt's security forces have been fighting Islamist terrorists based in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, which heavily increased attacks – mostly on security personnel – after the 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. A state of emergency was declared in North Sinai in 2014. A nationwide state of emergency was imposed in April 2017 after two church bombings killed 47 people in Alexandria and Tanta. The nationwide state of emergency has been extended every three months since.
