A raid carried out by the Egyptian army in North Sinai has killed 17 Islamic militants and arrested another 12, a military source told state news agency MENA.

The militants – who belonged to a takfiri group, meaning they labeled society and the government as infidels – had been planting bombs in North and South Sinai in attacks targeting security forces and the military, the source told MENA.

The army raid on Thursday falls on the year anniversary of president Mohamed Morsi's ouster. Since his removal, similar Islamic groups have staged an insurgence in the Sinai Peninsula and in other parts of the country, including the capital.

Dozens of police officers and soldiers have been killed in bombings and shootings. The army has waged a broad campaign in response that has killed dozens of militant suspects in air and ground offensives.