15 terrorists killed in Arish in full-scale crackdown against terrorism

CAIRO – 5 June 2018: Egyptian security forces at the Ministry of Interior killed on Monday 15 terrorists in an exchange of fire after locating their hiding place by Arish's ring road.

According to the security forces report, the Ministry of Interior received information confirming that the elements belong to a terrorist cell that attempted to incite violence in different areas in Arish.

The report pointed out that the elements were in contact with some terrorist leaders abroad who support them financially to carry out terrorist acts aimed to destroy the state, especially after the success of Egyptian efforts to combat terrorism.

It is worth mentioning that the security sources said that the Ministry of Interior succeeded in the recent period in the elimination of terrorism in Sinai, and in fully securing the governorate.

In November 2017, President Abdel Fatah al Sisi ordered the Armed Forces to eradicate terrorism in Sinai after an attack on Al Rawda mosque killed more than 300 people, in the deadliest incident in Egypt’s history.


Egypt's President El-Sisi (C) with Egyptian air forces pilots at a North Sinai military air base. Minister of Interior Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar (L) and Minister of Defense Sedki Sobhi (R)

On Feb. 9, Egypt’s military launched its comprehensive operation, named Sinai 2018, against jihadists, who have launched attacks on the security and military forces for years.

Egypt’s military says its current operation against the militants in Sinai has featured unprecedented coordination between the army, navy and air force. The “Comprehensive Operation - Sinai 2018” aims to eradicate terrorism in North and Central Sinai, in addition to other areas in the Nile Delta and the Western Desert.

Since the ousting of former Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated President Mohamed Morsi, Egypt has seen growing waves of extremism washing over the society and spawning numerous deadly attacks.