IS murder Egyptian general in North Sinai

Egypt's Islamic State group affiliate claimed responsibility for the murder of a general in the North Sinai region on Friday.

Brigadier General Hisham Mahmoud Abu al-Azm was shot several times as he returned to his home in al-Arish by armed gunmen who later fled the scene on a motorcycle.

An official statement from the Egyptian armed forces confirmed the news.

"At exactly 1:50pm today (Friday), three armed terrorist members shot Hisham Mohamed Mahmoud, in front of his home in al-Arish after performing the Friday prayer."

Abu al-Azm was not serving in Arish at the time of his murder and was visiting his second home in the area.

Anti-regime groups have been targeting army officers with increased frequency in recent months. Brigadier General Adel Ragaei was shot outside his home in similar circumstances on the outskirts of Cairo on 22 October.

A new armed Islamist group called the Revolution Brigade claimed responsibility for that assassination.

According to the news outlet al-Khaleej al-Jadeed, 32 soldiers were killed and 23 injured in North Sinai in October.

Senior military commanders told The New Arab in September - on condition of anonymity - that the current military policy in the North Sinai was "counter-productive".

Analysts say that the army's heavy-handed approach to policing the troubled peninsular has allienated people in the province. This led to previously politically moderate or conservative tribes alligning themselves with Egypt's IS affiliate.

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