At least six Egyptian police killed in Sinai bombing
An IS suicide attack targeting a police club in Sinai on Wednesday has killed at least six Egyptian policeman, according to al-Araby al-Jadeed's Arabic service.
2 min read
An Islamic state affiliate as claimed responsibility for the attack [AAAJ]
At least six Egyptian policemen were killed on Wednesday when a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into a police club in the Sinai peninsula, al-Araby al-Jadeed's Arabic service has reported, as the Islamic State group [IS] claimed responsibility for the attack.
A local source said that there were also at least 15 wounded in the bombing in in the North Sinai provincial capital of al-Arish.
The IS affiliate in Sinai said one of its militants drove an explosives-laden vehicle into a police social club in the town.
The Islamic militants have carried out a string of attacks in or around the provincial capital in recent months, after the army launched a sweeping campaign in the peninsula bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip.
The attack came days after a Russian passenger plane crashed in the peninsula after taking off from a resort airport in South Sinai, killing all 224 people on board.
IS has claimed it downed the plane but provided no details, and experts say other scenarios include a mechanical fault that caused it to disintegrate in mid-air.
The group has deployed shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles in the past but they are not known to possess weapons that could bring down an airliner flying at high altitude.
Last Thursday, six security personnel were injured in an explosion targeting an armoured vehicle in al-Arish, according to state media.
The Egyptian Armed Forces spokesperson recently announced that the army had gained full control over the North Sinai areas of al-Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuwaid after successful raids on "terrorist strongholds" and weapons caches.
The militants have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military overthrew Islamist president Mohammad Morsi in 2013.
They say their attacks have been in retaliation for an ensuing police crackdown in which hundreds of Morsi supporters have been killed and thousands, including the ousted president, jailed.
In an interview with the BBC, Egyptian President Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi, who is expected in London on Thursday, said the Sinai "is under our full control" and that claims IS bombed the plane are "propaganda".
In its statement, IS said it carried out the bombing against the "apostate" police force in retaliation for the arrests of Bedouin women in the region.
A local source said that there were also at least 15 wounded in the bombing in in the North Sinai provincial capital of al-Arish.
The IS affiliate in Sinai said one of its militants drove an explosives-laden vehicle into a police social club in the town.
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| IS claimed it brought down a Russian plane this week [Getty] |
The attack came days after a Russian passenger plane crashed in the peninsula after taking off from a resort airport in South Sinai, killing all 224 people on board.
IS has claimed it downed the plane but provided no details, and experts say other scenarios include a mechanical fault that caused it to disintegrate in mid-air.
The group has deployed shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles in the past but they are not known to possess weapons that could bring down an airliner flying at high altitude.
Last Thursday, six security personnel were injured in an explosion targeting an armoured vehicle in al-Arish, according to state media.
The Egyptian Armed Forces spokesperson recently announced that the army had gained full control over the North Sinai areas of al-Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuwaid after successful raids on "terrorist strongholds" and weapons caches.
The militants have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military overthrew Islamist president Mohammad Morsi in 2013.
They say their attacks have been in retaliation for an ensuing police crackdown in which hundreds of Morsi supporters have been killed and thousands, including the ousted president, jailed.
In an interview with the BBC, Egyptian President Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi, who is expected in London on Thursday, said the Sinai "is under our full control" and that claims IS bombed the plane are "propaganda".
In its statement, IS said it carried out the bombing against the "apostate" police force in retaliation for the arrests of Bedouin women in the region.
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