File Photo: Egyptian Army soldiers patrol in an armored vehicle backed by a helicopter gunship during a sweep through villages in Sheikh Zuweyid, North Sinai (Photo: Reuters)
A police officer was killed and three security personnel were injured when an IED (improvised explosive device) detonated in North Sinai earlier Friday, the interior ministry announced.
In a statement issued Friday afternoon, the ministry announced that police capitan Mohamed Gouda from the Central security Forces (CSF) was killed while a police soldier and two other conscripts were injured after the explosion of an IED in one of the cars at International Highway in Al-Arish.
The injured soldier and conscripts were transferred to a hospital for treatment.
On Thursday, the Egyptian armed forces spokesperson announced that Egypt's army had gained full control over the North Sinai areas of Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuwaid after successful raids on "terrorist" strongholds and weapons caches.
On 7 October Egypt's armed forces announced the commencement of the second stage of Martyr’s Right, its most recent North Sinai operation.
Islamist militants have killed hundreds of police and army personnel in the past year and a half in North Sinai, while authorities have announced that hundreds of militants have been killed in military campaigns in the governorate.
The Islamist group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis has claimed responsibility for most attacks against security forces in North Sinai.
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