News / Egypt

24 militants killed in central Sinai: Egypt

Monday, 16 November 2015 5:45 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 16 November 2015 5:46 PM ]

An Egyptian member of the armed forces patrols outside al-Maza military airport on January 30, 2015 in the capital Cairo (AFP Photo)

Egyptian security forces say they have shot dead 24 Daesh-affiliated militants in an attack on their hideout in central Sinai Peninsula.

Security sources added on Monday that eight more militants were arrested during the raid on the mountainous cave about 70 kilometers from the site of the recent crash of a Russian passenger plane.

This AFP file photo shows Egyptian army special forces at Sharm el-Sheikh airport in the Sinai Peninsula on Nov 11, 2015

The airplane crashed in the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on October 31, leaving all the 224 people on board dead.

The Wilayat Sinai (Sinai Province) terrorists, affiliated to the Daesh Takfiri group, claimed responsibility for the crash of the Airbus A321 run by Russia’s Kogalymavia airline. Neither Russia nor Egypt has confirmed the claims.

The militant group launched its anti-government operations two years ago by taking advantage of the turmoil caused in the country after the democratically-elected president Mohammad Morsi was ousted from power by the junta in 2011.