Egypt army kills 52 suspected jihadists in Sinai

At least 52 suspected jihadists were killed by Egyptian security forces pressing a campaign against Islamist militants in the Sinai Peninsula, the army said on Monday.

The military said the Sunni Muslim extremists, which they branded “takfiris” were killed in two separate operations by security forces in the restive peninsula.

Three members of the armed forces were also killed in these operations, it said in a statement, without stating when they took place.

The military launched a sweeping operation in February focused on the Sinai in eastern Egypt aimed at wiping out jihadists, including from the Islamic State (IS) group, who have been waging a bloody insurgency.

The military has regularly reported operations in the Sinai since it launched the campaign.

According to official figures, a total of more than 350 suspected jihadists and at least 30 soldiers have been killed in the "Sinai 2018" campaign.

Last week, security sources said that local IS leader Abu Hamza al-Maqdisi had been killed in an air raid on the Sinai. The jihadist group confirmed his death.

The death of Abu Hamza al-Maqdisi, who was described as a "martyr" by the group, was confirmed by the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency.

The report was accompanied by a photo of a young, smiling, man, however no details were given on how he died. 

Jihadists have killed hundreds of police officers and soldiers in the Sinai since the army ousted Egypt's Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Attacks have largely been concentrated in the Sinai Peninsula but militants have also struck elsewhere across the country.

The military says around 300 suspected jihadists and at least 35 soldiers have been killed in the "Sinai 2018" operation was launched in February.

Egypt's military has been accused of gross human rights violations in the Sinai, including the killing and torture of civilians.