Security are on heightened alert in the strategic Sinai Peninsula bordering Israel after they were tipped off that jihadist groups will attack police institutions
Egypt's interior ministry has raised the state of emergency in northern and southern Sinai, General Osama Ismail, assistant to the interior minister in Sinai, quotes MENA, the official state news agency on Saturday.
Ismail says that security forces received information that jihadist groups intend to launch attacks on police institutions in the strategic peninsula.
He also assures that the ministry continues to work with tribal leaders in Sinai to maintain security.
The Sinai has been home to several jihadist groups and has seen several attacks on police and security forces in the past years.
In September, President Mohamed Morsi launched Operation Sinai, a military campaign to combat terrorist groups and restore safety and stability in the peninsula. This came after 16 Egyptian soldiers were killed in an attack on the Egyptian-Israeli border.
Ismail also said that all security services are working in northern and southern Sinai except for the Central Security Forces (CSF) camp in the northern city of Al-Arish, who went on strike.
About 60 police stations and 10 CSF camps are on strike nationwide calling for sacking the interior minister and protesting what they describe as the "Brotherhoodisation of the ministry."
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