Security forces have killed 13 alleged militants in an exchange of fire in Arish, according to state-owned news agency MENA; however, there is no official statement detailing the attack as of yet. According to MENA, the militants were killed in a shootout after they opened fire on security forces, which approached them in a building under construction. The shootout led to the death of 13 militants and the confiscation of several weapons and ammunitions. Identities and charges of the dead militants were not mentioned in the statement. The armed forces usually lead operations in North Sinai, but in some cases, police forces engage in the fight against militants. An extensive military operation, dubbed Sinai 2018, has been ongoing in the region since 9 February, leading the armed forces to kill dozens of alleged militants. In November 2017, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi vowed to restore stability by eradicating terrorism, placing the military ,and police in charge of completing the task within a period of three months. This had followed a massive, first-of-its-kind terror attack on a mosque in Arish that killed at least 305 citizens.
