Egypt army kills 40 militants in Sinai raids

Egyptian armed forces said on Tuesday that 40 militants were killed in military raids on their hotbeds in the province of North Sinai.

"Egyptian security forces killed 40 highly dangerous militants in ground and air raids in North Sinai cities of Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid," Tamer el Refai, spokesman of the armed forces, said in a statement.

"Five other suspected militants were arrested in the raids," he added.

Egypt has been battling waves of anti-security activities, mostly centered in Sinai Peninsula, since the army-led ouster of former Islamist leader Mohamed Morsi in 2013, which left hundreds of police and army personnel killed.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)