Two women were killed Friday evening due to unidentified shelling in North Sinai, according to North Sinai's Undersecretary at the Health Ministry Tarek Khater. Civilians in North Sinai have witnessed the brunt of the violence, including deaths, due to fighting between the armed forces and North Sinai militants, as each party launches attacks on the other. The incident occurred hours after an ambulance carrying an injured army conscript was attacked and burned. The conscript was shot in the head, although the driver accompanying the conscript was left injured, said Khater. "Islamic State" affiliates in North Sinai, proclaiming themselves "State of Sinai", claimed on Saturday a series of attacks in April and May against security personnel located in North Sinai. The group posts monthly statements claiming attacks implemented in the area. The statement included the claimed responsibility for the deaths of the judges killed last week on their way to court on the same day ousted president Mohamed Morsi received his death sentence. The attacks include the killing of at least 12 police officers and armed forces personnel, bombings of military vehicles and shelling of checkpoints in Al-Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid. Security personnel are the main target for Sinai-based militants who usually refer to them as "apostasy army" and accuse them of collaborating with "the Jews". The frequency of attacks witnessed a sharp increase since the ouster of Morsi in July. Despite intensified counterinsurgency operations by the armed forces, violence has persisted. Recently, several North Sinai tribes declared their stance against "State of Sinai" and their support of the armed forces, announcing their willingness to collaborate with the latter. "State of Sinai" has frequently reiterate the threats against residents collaborating with the army, and has released several videos featuring the decapitation and shooting of several residents for allegedly being "army informers".
