Over the past five days of the intensive armed operation Sinai 2018, an officer and three soldiers were killed, while one officer, one non-commissioned officer, and five soldiers were wounded during the operation against the terror groups. Thirty-six alleged armed extremists were also killed. According to the 16th statement of military spokesperson Tamer El-Refaie on the operation, the alleged extremists were hiding in an abandoned building in Al-Arish. The security forces killed the militants in a shootout. Arms and wireless devices were found in the militants' possession. El-Refaie added that security forces have targeted several terror targets, 386 dens and hideouts in central Sinai, and a number of tunnels. The forces also destroyed 17 vehicles planned to be used in targeting security forces, and they found five automatic rifles and an undisclosed amount of ammunition. According to the statement, 345 suspects were arrested, including a number of extremists and others wanted for criminal cases. Military engineers found and destroyed 93 explosive units that were set to target security forces. They also found and destroyed 33 cannabis farms. Naval forces and border guards have secured the border lines in the western and southern directions and on Egyptian coasts, during and following conducting the Egyptian-French joint military exercise, according to the statement. Egypt's security forces launched in early February the extensive military operation in Sinai dubbed Sinai 2018. The operation includes navy, air, and infantry forces. It aims to target "dens and ammunition storages that are being used by terrorist elements," according to a previous statement from the Egyptian Armed Forces.
