Egyptian Army soldiers patrol in an armored vehicle backed by a helicopter gunship during a sweep through villages in Sheikh Zuweyid, northern Sinai (Photo: Reuters)
Egyptian troops killed a key Islamist militant Sunday, wanted over attacks on the army and police in Sinai, the military said.
Jihadist militants have stepped up violence against security forces in the restive peninsula that borders Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip since the July ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, killing dozens of troops and police in near-daily attacks.
Nesar Sabah Robaa Saleh, also known as Abu Rabiaa, was killed in the North Sinai city of Al-Arish, army spokesman Ahmad Ali said in a statement Sunday.
The army referred to Abu Rabiaa as "one of the most dangerous" militants in North Sinai who had been sought for his role in several attacks on security forces and military installations in the region.
Troops arrested 40 other militant suspects, damaged 22 huts used as bases for attacks, and seized papers used in terrorist operations, Ali added.
Last week, Egyptian troops killed a leader of an Al-Qaeda inspired militant group based in Sinai that claimed a failed attempt on the life of Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim and the murder of a high-level security official in recent months.
Egypt has poured troops and armour into the region to combat a growing insurgency while waging a sustained crackdown on Islamists — principally Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood — elsewhere.
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