A lower ranking policeman named Ayman Abdel Azim was shot dead by unknown assailants on Monday night in the city of Al-Arish, according to state media. The victim was transferred to the Arish hospital. The ministry of interior has not published any statements on the incidents yet. Assassinations are common in the urban area of Arish, usually targeting police officers, conscripts and state officials. No militant group has declared responsibility of the attack. The group that is most active in the area is Sinai Province which is an affiliate of the Islamic State group. Earlier this week, two solders were killed by snipers fire in different areas in North Sinai. The militant group published last April documenting more than 5 alleged sniper operations against army solders on duty in different parts of North Sinai. In a different context, the military spokesperson said on Tuesday that the Second Army along with the Air Force have destroyed a bomb laden car and destroyed a hideout that was allegedly used by militants. Since early July, the military intensified the "Martyr's right" operation after a suicide bomber stormed into the military post in the village of Rafah in North Sinai, killing and injuring at least 26 military personnel. The attack was claimed by the militant group Sinai Province, an Islamic State (IS) group affiliate. "Sinai Province", a group previously known as Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis swore alliance to IS in 2014 and has launched deadly attacks on army and police checkpoints. The Cairo Criminal Court designated the group as a terrorist organisation in 2015. Over the last two years, the Egyptian armed forces have launched counter attacks against the militants' stationing points across the Sinai Peninsula, where the group is based in the cities of Sheikh Zuweid, Rafah, and Al-Arish. A state of emergency was first declared in North Sinai by interim president Adly Mansour, who came into power following ousted president Mohamed Morsi. It has been extended following this year's extremist attacks on Coptic churches on Palm Sunday.
