ISIS Sinai branch is responsible for the deads of 6 military personnel in 2 attacks west of Sheikh Zuwayed

The Islamic State-affiliate Province of Sinai announced on Saturday that its members shot six Egyptian military personnel using snipers west of Sheikh Zuwayed, and that they exchanged fire with another group near Qabr Omayr, a village in North Sinai.

The military spokesperson has yet to issue any statements about the attacks.

The statement by Province of Sinai, published through the militant group’s Al-Nabaa magazine, did not identify the exact date or time of either attack.

On Thursday, Armed Forces Spokesperson Tamer al-Rifai said that since the launch of Operation Sinai 2018, the state’s ongoing security campaign against militants, 71 militants have been killed and five others arrested. The number of arrests does not account for the 1,852 that were arrested “on suspicion of supporting militants or for being listed as wanted criminals” since the operation officially began on February 9. Most have been released, according to the military’s statement.

Among the ranks of the Armed Forces, Rifai said the operation resulted in seven deaths and six injuries. Rifai also said that military forces has so far destroyed a total of 571 targets.

Province of Sinai had issued a statement on Friday saying that four of its members, two Egyptians and two Palestinians, carried out an attack on the headquarters of Battalion 101 located in North Sinai’s capital city Arish, claiming that the attack caused a number of deaths among Egyptian military forces. The Armed Forces did not issue a response to that claim, however.

Province of Sinai published photographs of the four members it claimed carried out the attack, all of whom appear to be wearing desert camouflage military uniforms worn by Egyptian soldiers, including the Egyptian Armed Forces badge, and carrying AK-47 rifles.

Source: Madamasr