The Egyptian air force prevented an attempt to smuggle arms and explosives into the country through its western borders with Libya, according to a statement by the spokesperson for the military, Tamer Al-Refaee. The air force destroyed ten vehicles carrying arms and ammunitions, the statement read. Egyptian air force and border guards are continuing their search for the smugglers, according to the statement. The armed forces published aerial footage showing the operation, and the Egyptian air force targetting the vehicles. The operation comes as part of ongoing military manoeuvrers to control the country's western borders, and this is not the first air strike in the area. On 23 October, the air force conducted an air strike in the desert area that destroyed eight vehicles carrying arms and ammunitions. Last month, 16 policemen were killed according to the ministry of interior, during a security operation aiming to attack a camp of terrorists 135 km south west of Cairo in the Al-Wahat desert area in Egypt's western desert, after the National Security had received information about the militant hideout on 20 October. Two weeks after the attack, a newly emerging militant group, called Ansar Al-Islam, claimed its responsibility for it. The group did not provide any evidence proving its claim, only making the announcement through telegram. The Western Desert has witnessed several attacks over the past three years. Before the incident in Al-Wahat, the most recent attack occurred in June 2016, when six military personnel, including two officers, were killed and three others injured, in a militant attack in Al-Farafra Oasis in the New Valley governorate.
