11 militants killed by Egyptian army in North Sinai

The Egyptian armed forces announced that they killed 11 militants during the period from 3 to 5 January. Two of them were killed in Al-Arish, eight in Sheikh Zuweid, and one in Rafah, according to a Tuesday statement by the military spokesman.

The statement further read that the armed forces thwarted an attempt to bomb Sheikh Zuweid police station by a suicide bomber.

The army destroyed 2 smuggling tunnels, the statement reported.

Destruction of smuggling tunnels is one of the counterterrorism measures undertaken by armed forces as these tunnels are used for infiltration of militants and smuggling weapons in and out of Sinai.

Egypt’s armed forces are establishing a buffer zone with a total width of 5km to ensure that no underground smuggling tunnel could bypass the area.