IS kills 50+ in Northern Sinai

[Melech 9,900]

"EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) — Dozens of Islamic militants unleashed a wave of simultaneous attacks, including suicide car bombings, on Egyptian army checkpoints in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula on Wednesday, killing at least 53 soldiers, security and military officials said.

The advanced planning and coordinated execution of the attacks show that the long-running insurgency in the area is growing stronger, posing a serious threat to Egypt's security as the military-backed government struggles to restore stability after years of unrest since the 2011 uprising.

The assault came a day after Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi pledged to step up the battle against Islamic militants and two days after the chief prosecutor was assassinated in the capital, Cairo. The officials said 50 militants were killed in fierce fighting that started in the early morning and was still raging at the end of the day — the deadliest battle in Sinai since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

The attacks underscored the resilience of the militants, who have battled Egyptian security forces in northern Sinai for more than a decade but have intensified their insurgency since the 2013 military overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, even as the military has deployed reinforcements, imposed strict curfews and demolished homes and tunnels along the border with Hamas-ruled Gaza.

An Islamic State affiliate claimed Wednesday's attacks, saying its fighters targeted a total of 15 army and police positions and staged three suicide bombings, two that targeted checkpoints and one that hit an officers' club in the nearby city of el-Arish.

"This specific attack is by far the worst we've ever seen," said Daniel Nisman, CEO for the Levantine Group risk consultancy. "It's not a hit and run — this is what they used in places like Syria and Iraq to actually capture and hold territory."

He said the attack revealed the weaknesses of the military's "scorched earth" operations against militants in the northern Sinai, which he says have made it difficult for an army that is "very, very overstretched" to recruit local support.

Except for the attack at the officers' club, the assault took place in the town of Sheikh Zuweid and targeted at least six military checkpoints, the officials said. The militants also took soldiers captive and seized weapons and several armored vehicles, they added, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

At least 55 soldiers were wounded, the officials said. As fighting raged, an army Apache gunship destroyed one of the armored carriers captured by the militants as they were driving it away, the officials added.

An Associated Press reporter meanwhile heard two explosions from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza and saw smoke rising, though it was not immediately clear what caused the blasts or if they were linked to the militant assault some 40 kilometers (25 miles) away.

Egypt's military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Samir, said clashes were still underway in and around Sheikh Zuweid and that 10 soldiers had been killed. The conflicting accounts of the number of troops killed could not immediately be reconciled.

Samir's statement, posted on his official Facebook page, said some 70 militants attacked five checkpoints in northern Sinai and that Egyptian troops killed 22 of them and destroyed three all-terrain vehicles fitted with anti-aircraft guns.."

 

 

 

 

[RainingOnMe 7,280]

That's so scary, rest in peace to the victims  

[Didymus 34,380]

These suicide attacks are so mindblowingly sad.

This should never have happened.

[Alii 2,039]

May they rest in peace. ???

[Woolfsmck 2,763]

"EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) — Dozens of Islamic militants unleashed a wave of simultaneous attacks, including suicide car bombings, on Egyptian army checkpoints in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula on Wednesday, killing at least 53 soldiers, security and military officials said.

The advanced planning and coordinated execution of the attacks show that the long-running insurgency in the area is growing stronger, posing a serious threat to Egypt's security as the military-backed government struggles to restore stability after years of unrest since the 2011 uprising.

The assault came a day after Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi pledged to step up the battle against Islamic militants and two days after the chief prosecutor was assassinated in the capital, Cairo. The officials said 50 militants were killed in fierce fighting that started in the early morning and was still raging at the end of the day — the deadliest battle in Sinai since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

The attacks underscored the resilience of the militants, who have battled Egyptian security forces in northern Sinai for more than a decade but have intensified their insurgency since the 2013 military overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, even as the military has deployed reinforcements, imposed strict curfews and demolished homes and tunnels along the border with Hamas-ruled Gaza.

An Islamic State affiliate claimed Wednesday's attacks, saying its fighters targeted a total of 15 army and police positions and staged three suicide bombings, two that targeted checkpoints and one that hit an officers' club in the nearby city of el-Arish.

"This specific attack is by far the worst we've ever seen," said Daniel Nisman, CEO for the Levantine Group risk consultancy. "It's not a hit and run — this is what they used in places like Syria and Iraq to actually capture and hold territory."

He said the attack revealed the weaknesses of the military's "scorched earth" operations against militants in the northern Sinai, which he says have made it difficult for an army that is "very, very overstretched" to recruit local support.

Except for the attack at the officers' club, the assault took place in the town of Sheikh Zuweid and targeted at least six military checkpoints, the officials said. The militants also took soldiers captive and seized weapons and several armored vehicles, they added, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

At least 55 soldiers were wounded, the officials said. As fighting raged, an army Apache gunship destroyed one of the armored carriers captured by the militants as they were driving it away, the officials added.

An Associated Press reporter meanwhile heard two explosions from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza and saw smoke rising, though it was not immediately clear what caused the blasts or if they were linked to the militant assault some 40 kilometers (25 miles) away.

Egypt's military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Samir, said clashes were still underway in and around Sheikh Zuweid and that 10 soldiers had been killed. The conflicting accounts of the number of troops killed could not immediately be reconciled.

Samir's statement, posted on his official Facebook page, said some 70 militants attacked five checkpoints in northern Sinai and that Egyptian troops killed 22 of them and destroyed three all-terrain vehicles fitted with anti-aircraft guns.."

 

 

 

 

Yeah, I saw this,  I wonder what their goal is, besides punishing moderate Muslims.  Egypt has adopted a new policy for their Mosques, they can't preach hostility to other religions or people. 

[AgusPop 4,162]

So disgusting 

[LeHomer 0]

This ain't religion anymore. These are just murderers.