Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim has condemned vongoing violence in the Sinai Peninsula, claiming security forces have lost 11 troops since the 3 July military coup which ousted Mohamed Morsy from the Egyptian presidency.
"[We] have lost eleven troops in Sinai since 3 July," Ibrahim told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Saturday.
He added that police forces are coordinating with the armed forces to face off "terrorists" targeting security positions in the region, after a string of armed attacks on checkpoints in Arish and Rafah in North Sinai.
“Armed forces and police follow all jihadists and criminals who take shelter in residential areas to hide after getting out of Halal mountain."
"A team of ministry leaders in Sinai are following up on the security situation,” he added.
There would be no withdrawal from Sinai until security conditions improved, the interior minister said.
Ibrahim meanwhile called on protesters across Egypt's political spectrum to keep demonstrations peaceful.
Authorities would continue coordinating with the army to "secure all marches on the condition of avoiding violence, whether in Nahda or Tahrir Squares, or Rabea al-Adaweya," he said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
