Egypt's armed forces killed 126 takfiris in northern and central Sinai during operations “in the past period,” a statement by the military read on Sunday, and the operations resulted in the “death or injury” of 15 army personnel. The statement said that the takfiris were killed in 22 raids and 16 qualitative operations, without providing a timeframe for the operations. Four army officers, three non-commissioned officers, and eight soldiers were killed or injured during the operations, it said. Around 266 “criminal elements and suspects” were arrested, the statement said, adding that the air forces have destroyed 228 hideouts and 116 four wheelers used by the terrorist elements. Fifty-six vehicles and 226 motorcycles with no license plates were destroyed during the armed forces' combing and raid operations. The armed forces said it detonated 630 explosive devices planted on roads in operation zones, and demolished eight tunnel openings. Sunday's statement came hours after the interior ministry said it killed 18 terrorists in a shootout in North Sinai's Bir El-Abd city, days after the Islamic State group claimed a terrorist attack in which 10 Egyptian military personnel were “killed or wounded” in the same area. An officer, a non-commissioned officer, and eight soldiers were killed or injured when their armoured vehicle was blown up in Bir El-Abd city. This was the first such attack since February when the armed forces thwarted a terrorist attack on a security checkpoint in North Sinai, killing 10 terrorists participating in the attack. The military has been carrying out Operation Sinai 2018, a counter-terrorism campaign, since February 2018. The campaign involves land, naval and air forces, as well as the police and border guards.
