Two police officers and conscripts were reportedly killed on Friday night in an attack launched by anonymous militants in the Al-Qassima region in North Sinai, according to several media reports. Four militants on a motorbike launched a sudden attack on two police cars situated near a security checkpoint in the Al-Qassima region. One of the militants was reportedly killed during the attack. Neither the Interior Ministry nor the Defence Ministry have issued statements either confirming or denying the attack. Moreover, "Islamic State" affiliates "Sinai Province" have not issued a statement claiming the attack. However, it is believed to have been executed by the group, which is widely active in North Sinai and has executed several similar attacks recently. On Thursday, "Sinai Province" claimed several attacks on armed forces personnel, claiming that 18 were killed in an online statement. However, local media reported that only five soldiers and one officer were killed in different attacks that targeted armed forces' positions in Rafah and Al-Arish. The armed forces spokesperson did not confirm the attacks or the number of casualties. State media did not report the attacks, although Al-Ahram newspaper reported that a heavily attended funeral was held for a conscript in Menufiya. The militant group said one attack targeted an armed personnel carrier, while another targeted a group of infantry soldiers. On Wednesday, General Yasser Hafez, deputy security director of North Sinai, was injured in a blast on the international Al-Arish road. However, Hafez, who is the commander of the police forces in Sinai, sustained minor injuries. Sinai has become the scene of frequent clashes between militants and state security forces; an extensive counter-insurgency operation was launched to curb militancy within Sinai. These operations have imposed a state of emergency in the northern regions of the peninsula. Source: Daily News Egypt
