Egyptian army captain killed by Sinai roadside bomb

Egyptian army captain killed by Sinai roadside bomb
Egyptian medics have confirmed the death of an army captain killed by an improvised explosive device in Egypt's restive North Sinai.
1 min read
20 August, 2018
Since February, 250 suspected militants and at least 35 soldiers have been killed [AFP]


An Egyptian army captain has been killed by a bomb blast in North Sinai during a campaign to eliminate Islamist militants, medics said on Monday.

The officer died Sunday evening after an explosion hit his vehicle west of the coastal city of El-Arish, a local medical source said.

Egypt has been battling militants for years, however Sinai-based insurgent groups gained strength after the 2013 overthrow of the country's first elected president, Mohamed Morsi.

The Egyptian army has since February been conducting a major operation focused on the Sinai Peninsula to wipe out fighters aligned to the Islamic State group.

The military says that over 250 suspected militants and at least 35 soldiers have been killed in its "Sinai 2018" operation.