Egypt

Gunman killed in crossfire with army in Sinai

One person was killed on Monday in a gunfight between Egyptian army forces and gunmen in North Sinai, security sources said.

Eleven people have been detained following the incident, sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm. Those include four Palestinians and six convicts.

The sources said the incident was connected to a joint operation by police and army forces launched following an armed attack by Islamists on an Arish police station 29 July.

On Monday morning, Egypt's state-run TV said the armed forces had managed to arrest six members of the so-called Islamic Liberation Army, an Islamist group that adopts a jihadist rhetoric and seeks to establish an Islamic state in Sinai.

AFP said Israel has given a green light to Egypt to deploy nearly 1000 troops in Sinai to restore discipline.

The peace treaty signed between Egypt and Israel in 1979 stipulates demilitarized zones in large parts of Sinai.

Israel has not allowed any exceptions to that part of the treaty except in 2005, when it allowed Egyptian police to position at the Rafah land crossing on the Egyptian borders with the Gaza Strip, in order to strengthen control around the Hamas-ruled territory and to stop weapons smuggling.

Translated from the Arabic Edition

Related Articles

Back to top button