The General Command of the Egyptian Armed Forces on Tuesday issued communiqué no. 25 on recent developments in the military's Operation Sinai 2018. The armed forces launched Operation Sinai 2018 in February to target terrorist and criminal elements and organizations in north and central Sinai, parts of the Nile Delta and the Western Desert. Operation Sinai 2018 involves the army, navy, border patrol, air force and police. The 25th communiqué stated that the following results were achieved over the past days: Egypt's air force destroyed five vehicles and an administrative supply depot belonging to terrorist elements. Three "takfiris", who possessed an automatic rifle and munitions, were killed and 59 suspects were arrested in north and central Sinai. The operations also resulted in the destruction of 12 vehicle used by terrorists in attacking security posts. A fuel depot and a workshop used to armour vehicles used by terrorist elements were also destroyed during combing and raid missions. The operations also destroyed 285 hideouts and a storage depo in central and north Sinai, where munitions, TNT, wireless communication devices and takfiri books were found. Army engineers discovered and detonated ten IEDs which were planted to target troops in operation zones. The communique added that the forces had also discovered and destroyed a number of tunnels in the city of Rafah in North Sinai. The naval forces continue to secure the country's seas, and to block supply lines to terrorist elements and secure strategic marine posts, the communiqué added. A conscripted soldier was injured during fighting against terrorist elements, and two civilians were killed after an explosive device placed to target raiding units in their routes detonated. As well, border patrol forces on the western strategic front discovered a large number of birdshot rifles, three sniper rifles, an automatic rifle, and hundreds of bullets. On the same front, the border patrol forces also discovered and confiscated 1,928 kilograms of cannabis, 3 million drug pills, 66 gold items, and eight 4x4 vehicles used in smuggling operations. The communique explained that these operations come as part "of the sacrifices rendered by the men of the armed forces and the police in chasing and routing the terrorist elements, and to buttress the capacity to secure land and sea borders in all strategic directions." Meanwhile, on the southern front, the border patrol guards and police forces intercepted a truck of three people smuggling half-a-tonne of Heroin and foreign currency. The forces also seized 24 other vehicles and two motorbikes used in smuggling, as well as 150 sacks of gold rocks. The communique added that forces stopped 43 people from illegally crossing the international border.
