Dozens of militants killed by Egypt security forces in North Sinai

A dozen suspected militants were killed late Sunday in an operation launched by security forces in North Sinai, army sources said.
The suspected militants were believed to be members of Egypt’s most active militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which renamed itself “Sinai Province” after pledging allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria last November.
Earlier today, six alleged militants were also killed and six others were arrested in clashes with security forces in the governorate, when security forces tackled a cell that was attempting to carry out attacks against a nearby security position.
Militancy inside Egypt has seen a significant rise since July 2013, with most attacks occurring in North Sinai and target security forces.
Data released this month by the armed forces revealed that a total of 725 suspected militants were killed as a result of security operations between late October and late April.