Eleven militants were killed during army operations in North Sinai's Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah, according to state-run news agency MENA Tuesday. The army launched airstrikes and ground forces to destroy militant hideouts. Both Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid have witnessed military parades during the past week on behalf of militant group "State of Sinai", according to North Sinai residents. The group has claimed having launched the parades in a statement Sunday, with photos featuring about a dozen high-end pick-up trucks with armed militants on board. The armed forces announced on 1 March the results of their operations within the framework "to ultimately eliminate terrorism" in North Sinai, leaving 173 militants killed during February. State of Sinai claimed the 29 January large-scale attack on security personnel and facilities, which left at least 30 personnel dead. The group claimed having killed "hundreds". The insurgency in North Sinai has been on the rise since the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. "State of Sinai" (formerly Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis) has claimed most of the attacks in the area, and attempted to recruit locals through distributing leaflets threatening residents with decapitation if they collaborated with the armed forces.
