Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi visited an air base in North Sinai on Friday, meeting members of the Egyptian armed forces and police who are taking part in the counter-terrorism initiative Operation Sinai 2018.

According to a military statement, the Egyptian president expressed his total appreciation for the national role of the Egyptian armed forces and police force in fighting terrorism in North Sinai.

He also praised the cooperation between the two institutions.

"Hopefully we will come here again soon to celebrate the victory over the terrorists of this era," El-Sisi told officers and soldiers at the air base, according to the statement.

He also revealed that the government had finished establishing a civilian airport in Sinai as part of its plan to develop the peninsula.

The president was accompanied in his visit by Interior Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar, Defence Minister Sedky Sobhi, and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohamed Farid, as well as other military officials.

El-Sisi had breakfast with the troops at the air base and joined them for the Friday communal prayer.

Egypt's President El-Sisi (C) having breakfast with air forces pilots at a North Sinai military air base. Minister of Defense Sedki Sobhi (R) (Photo: Egyptian armed forces)

Operation Sinai 2018 was launched on 9 February, and involves land, naval and air forces, as well as the police and border guards.

It targets terrorist and criminal elements and organisations in northern and central Sinai, as well as parts of the Nile Delta and the Western Desert, the military has said.