Egypt: Militant Attack Kills More than 30 in North Sinai

More than 30 people were killed in Egypt when suspected militants attacked checkpoints in North Sinai on Wednesday, military sources said.

According to early reports, 10 Egyptian soldiers and 22 militants were killed in the attack which took place amid clashes between both sides in the region. Former al-Qaida-affiliated militant group Velayat Sinai (Sinai Caliphate), which recently pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, claimed responsibility for the attack.  

The attack takes place one day after the Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi vowed to step up a two-year crackdown on militants following the killing of the country's prosecutor-general in Cairo.

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On January 31, the gunmen killed 30 people and injured dozens in a series of coordinated attacks on the peninsula. 

The Sinai Peninsula has long been considered a safe haven for extremist militants who use the region as a base for their activities. On January 31, gunmen killed 30 people and injured dozens in a series of coordinated attacks on the peninsula. 

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The presence of these groups, whose main target are the Egyotian troops, has increased its presence since the ouster of Mohamed Morsi in 2013, according to local press.