Egyptian armed forces killed 19 “terrorists” in the country’s restive North Sinai province, a military spokesperson said on Sunday.
The forces obtained intelligence information about a number of terrorists hiding in several hideouts in Bir al-Abd, Sheikh Zuwayed and Rafah cities of North Sinai, military spokesman Tamer al-Refai said in a statement.
The army troops carried out two raids on these hotbeds, killing three terrorists who had automatic rifles, the spokesman said.
Grenades and RPG rockets have been seized, al-Refai said, adding that five explosive devices that were planted to target the armed forces were detonated.
Al-Refai revealed that 16 other terrorists were also killed in several airstrikes in North Sinai, adding that two four-wheel drive vehicles and a warehouse of explosive devices were destroyed in the air raids.
The spokesman pointed out that two officers and two soldiers were killed or injured during these operations.
He did not mention when these military operations took place.
Egypt has been fighting a wave of terrorist activities that killed hundreds of policemen, soldiers and civilians since the ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.
Most terrorist attacks in Egypt over the past few years were claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the Islamic State regional terrorist group.
