Cairo: Militants killed eight Egyptian policemen at a checkpoint in the restive Sinai Peninsula on Wednesday, authorities said, as the country marked Eid al Fitr.
The northeastern region is the hotbed of a years-long insurgency by militants, some linked to the IS group, who have regularly hit security forces.
“Terrorist elements targeted a checkpoint west of El-Arish early this morning... The exchange of fire killed five terrorist elements and eight police were martyred,” the interior ministry said.
Some militants escaped and security forces are following their movements, it said in a statement.
Two of the militants who were killed first managed to hijack two tanks belonging to the Central Security Forces, a force under the interior ministry’s control.
But a military plane destroyed one and security forces killed the other militant in a shootout, a security source said, providing photos of the charred tanks.
The source said reinforcements had been deployed to the checkpoint near El-Arish, capital of North Sinai province.
“The checkpoint is currently surrounded by the army and police,” he said.
Three members of the Central Security Forces were also wounded in the attack and taken to El-Arish public hospital, a medical source said.
Egyptian state television said there were fears the death toll could rise, amid reports of attacks on multiple checkpoints.
It also broadcast still images it said were of the slain attackers. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks.
Egyptian social media users paid tribute to the policemen killed.
“It’s very hard for a mother, waiting for her son to ring her and send her Eid greetings, to receive a call that he has been killed,” prominent actor Mahmoud al Bezzawy wrote on Twitter.
The interior ministry did not release the identities of the slain officers. Egypt has for years been battling North Sinai insurgents affiliated with the IS group.
Hundreds of police officers and soldiers have been killed in militant attacks. — AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
