Fifty-seven militants were killed in a series of air strikes carried out by Egyptian army in the restive North Sinai province in the last ten days, a senior army official said on Monday.
The air strikes conducted in three different cities of Rafah, Al-Arish and Sheikh Zawayed from April 9 killed 57 militants, army spokesperson Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said, adding that 61 wanted and suspected militants were also arrested.
He said a total of 32 militant hide-outs were demolished, besides destroying 98 unlicensed vehicles and motorcycles used by militants in their attacks against police and army personnel.
Egypt’s Sinai has witnessed many violent attacks by militants since the January 2011 revolution that toppled ex-President Hosni Mubarak.
The attacks targeting police and military increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-President Mohamed Morsy in 2013. Over 500 security personnel have been reported killed so far.
The military has launched security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.
