Egypt
fires missiles against suspected militants in Sinai
The
Egyptian military has launched an assault against suspected Islamist
militants after they attacked security checkpoints along the
Egyptian-Israeli border. At least 20 people have reportedly been
killed.
RT,
8
August, 2012
This
comes just two days after 16 Egyptian soldiers were killed in similar
attack.
Egyptian
security officials told AP that attack helicopters had fired missiles
just hours after three security checkpoints were attacked by
suspected militants around North Sinai’s town of Sheikh Zuwaid, 10
kilometers from the Gaza strip.
Egyptian
troops entered the village of al-Toumah, nearby Sheikh Zuwaid after
they were informed of Islamist insurgent activity there, a military
commander told Reuters.
"We
have succeeded in entering al-Toumah village, killed 20 terrorists
and destroyed three armored cars belonging to terrorists. Operations
are still ongoing," the commander said to Reuters.
The
exchange of fire started in the late hours of Tuesday and lasted
until Wednesday morning.
According
to Ahram, the state news website, 20 suspected militants were killed
in the attacks. Six people were wounded, officials say. Among them
were a military officer, two soldiers, two policemen and a civilian
whose condition is critical.
The
attackers also targeted a cement production company in Sinai, Al
Jazeera reports.
Egypt's
President Mohamed Morsi has sacked the intelligence chief and the
governor of North Sinai following the killing of over a dozen
Egyptian security personnel by militants.
Violence
has escalated dramatically in the country since the ousting of Hosni
Mubarak last year. It is also moving closer to the Israeli-Egyptian
border. People in the affected areas are becoming concerned that if
the violence spreads further, the conflict may have regional
implications.
Security
officials said this was the first time a missile strike has been used
in the Sinai area since the 1973 war with Israel to take back the
peninsular. The territory was returned to Egypt in 1979 with the
signing of a peace treaty with Israel.
The
latest developments in the Sinai Peninsula now raise fears that Tel
Aviv may choose to act unilaterally if it feels threatened
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