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Egypt army says 20 jihadists killed in operations
CAIRO, Aug 29, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Egypt’s army said Wednesday it has killed
20 jihadists in the latest round of military operations in the Western Desert
and Sinai Peninsula.
The military launched a sweeping operation in February focused on Sinai in
eastern Egypt aimed at wiping out militants, including from the Islamic State
group, who have been waging a bloody insurgency.
Operations over the past few days had “resulted in the elimination of seven
extremely dangerous” jihadists close to Egypt’s western border with Libya,
the army said in a statement.
It said 13 militants were also killed in shootouts with government forces
during army raids in central and northern Sinai.
Security forces in Sinai had arrested 18 wanted suspected militants and
destroyed 18 hideouts.
Jihadists launched an insurgency in Egypt after the 2013 ouster of Islamist
president Mohamed Morsi, forced out by the military in the face of mass
protests against his rule.
Attacks have largely been concentrated in the Sinai Peninsula but militants
have also struck elsewhere across the country. The military says around 300
suspected jihadists and at least 35 soldiers have been killed in the “Sinai
2018” operation.
BSS/AFP/RY/1910 hrs