A top-ranking policeman at Al-Arish Police Station in North Sinai was injured after he was shot by a sniper on Tuesday, state-owned news agency MENA reported. The policeman was transferred to Al-Arish military hospital for treatment. The attack came two days after a car bomb explosion at the same police station, which left five policemen dead and many others injured, according to an Interior Ministry statement. Residents living close to the explosion confirmed civilian deaths, injuries and damage to several houses. The Ministry of Social Solidarity announced that the restoration of houses will cost between EGP 5,000 and EGP 25,000, and promised the delivery of assistance to the harmed families. The families of the martyrs are to be provided with EGP 10,000 in compensation. President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has taken several security measures to counter the insurgency in the peninsula. However the Sinai-based militant group, "State of Sinai" has continued to launch their attacks against security personnel and facilities while civilians are caught up in the "war" between both sides. The latest of Al-Sisi's decisions was to maximise the penalty on border tunnel diggers to life imprisonment. The armed forces are currently creating a buffer zone to destroy all the tunnels leading in and out of Sinai to prevent the infiltration of "terrorists and weapons". The "involvement of foreign elements" in the current insurgency was stressed repeatedly by the President. Among the security measures was a limited state of emergency, which includes a curfew for a period of six months for 11 hours daily. However, on 29 January, Al-Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid saw the largest highly-coordinated attack in the area during curfew hours. The attacks left over 30 security personnel dead, targeted high profile facilities and damaged residential areas in the vicinity. "State of Sinai" has claimed to have killed "hundreds". The armed group has claimed responsibility for almost all the attacks in North Sinai and repeatedly asks people to join their side and abandon the army and the current government. The frequency of their attacks saw a significant rise since the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi. The Egyptian armed forces are engaged in a "war against terrorism", killing more than 300 militants during March and February, according to several statements by a military spokesman. However, "State of Sinai" are still launching and openly claiming attacks.
