Egyptian army 'kills 16 militants' in Sinai operation

Egypt's army has pursued Islamic State group militants in the northern Sinai region for years, after numerous bomb and gun attacks on troops in the region.

After a number of military offensives, the group is thought to have been weakened and switched from attacks on the military to softer targets such as mosques and Coptic Christian churches.

The operation launched on Friday involves troops from the Egyptian air force, navy and ground forces as well as the police and border guards.

"The air force targeted and destroyed 66 targets used by terrorist elements to hide from air and artillery attacks, and to escape from their bases during raids," an army statement said.

A total of 16 militants were killed, it added.

The statement also said forces found a media centre with computers, communication equipment and books and documents related to extremism ideology.

Security forces also uncovered and destroyed six farms used to grow banned narcotics, the statement said.

Sisi is preparing for March's presidential elections which is widely expected to be a one horse race after the arrests of and pressure on the president's opponents.

But the former general - who vowed to return security to Egypt after a 2013 military coup - will likely be embarrassed by continued attacks.

Last November militants in northern Sinai killed 305 people in the deadliest assault by militants in Egypt's modern history, at a mosque near al-Arish.

Following the attack, Sisi gave the army a three-month deadline to restore order in the troubled Sinai following the attack.