Egypt

Army deploys reinforcements to Sinai

The Egyptian army has deployed major reinforcements to the North Sinai city of Arish in a bid to improve the deteriorating security situation in the area.

London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper cited on Saturday a security source as saying that armored vehicles will be deployed, though the exact location is yet to be determined.

The paper added that the vehicles will be used to secure the city rather than conduct raids on suspected criminal hideouts. The army will also use concrete blocks to reinforce checkpoints and better secure the city.

Concrete blocks that arrived in the city will be used at checkpoints to better secure the city and prevent attacks. 

Disorder has spread in Sinai since autocrat Hosni Mubarak was ousted in the 25 January revolution, with Islamist militants stepping up attacks on security forces and the Israeli border. President Mohamed Morsy has pledged to restore security in the impoverished region.

Three Egyptian policemen killed last week when gunmen fired on their car in Arish before escaping.It was the biggest attack against army and police forces since the ambush killing of 16 border guards on 5 August.

The paper also added that the identities of the perpetrators of the latest attacks on police in Sinai have not been determined and that the information security authorities have has not yet helped with tracking them down.

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