Three "takfiris" were killed by the Egyptian armed forces in northern and central Sinai on Friday, the army said in a statement. Military spokesman Tamer El-Rifai said forces also arrested 224 "wanted criminal elements", destroyed 10 4×4 vehicles and 68 weapons caches, and detonated 28 IEDs planted in the field of operations on Friday. El-Rifai's statement about the seventh day of Operation Sinai 2018, the military's new counter-terrorism operation, is the eighth military communique on the operation since it began last week. The operation involves land, naval and air operations. The term takfiri refers to Sunni Muslims who accuse other Muslims of being infidels, often as a justification for using violence against them. Land, sea and air forces have carried out security patrols to combat attempts to smuggle arms or infiltrate through southern and western borders, El-Rifai added. Forces involved in the operation have also destroyed nine farms used to grow illegal narcotics and seized large amounts of drugs and communication facilities, he said. On Thursday, Egypt's military said that security forces had killed 53 takfiris since the operation was launched. Source: Ahram online
