10 killed in Egypt's anti-terror operation in North Sinai

A major anti-terror operation in the Egyptian province of North Sinai has killed 10 terrorists, according to an army statement on Tuesday.

"Some 400 criminal elements and wanted criminals were arrested," the army said, adding that six vehicles and 13 unlicensed motorcycles were seized and destroyed.

The operation also destroyed as many as 143 huts, hideouts and warehouses containing explosives and large quantities of auto spare parts and drugs.

On Friday, Egypt launched a nationwide security operation against terrorists and criminal elements and organizations in northern, central Sinai, Delta and western border cities.

In November, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered the armed forces to uproot terrorists within three months after a mosque attack which killed more than 300 in Sinai city of Arish.

The Egyptian army has been struggling to uproot the strongholds of militants now belonging to the Islamic State branch in Sinai since the ouster of former Islamist leader Mohamed Morsi in response to mass protests against his one-year rule in 2013.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)