Eight Egyptian soldiers killed in Sinai car bomb attack

Eight Egyptian soldiers were killed and at least 10 were injured on Thursday in a car bomb attack on an army checkpoint in the restive Sinai Peninsula.

The attack took place south of the city of Al-Arish, and at least 14 victims were taken to Al-Arish hospital according to medical sources.

“A group of terrorists on Thursday evening attacked a security checkpoint in northern Sinai using explosive laden vehicles,” said an Egyptian military spokesman in a statement.

“A car bomb and an improvised explosive device resulted in the death of eight armed forces members,” the statement added.

Security forces were able to killed three of the attackers and were combing the area in search of other attackers who fled the scene according to the statement.

Militants in Sinai have launched an insurgency against government forces since Egypt's military overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

The majority of attacks that have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers have been claimed by "The Sinai Province", the Egyptian branch of Islamic State.

In August, the Egyptian military claimed it had killed the leader of IS Sinai, Abu Duaa al-Ansari, and a number of his top aides, but attacks by the militants have persisted despite the massive military campaign to uproot IS from the peninsula.