Sinai: 5 Egyptian police killed by unknown gunmen

Five Egyptian policemen have been shot dead by unknown assailants on a security checkpoint in the Sinai Peninsula, the interior ministry reported on Thursday.

“Unidentified gunmen opened fire on security forces at El-Etlawi square in the center of El-Arish,” the ministry said in a statement.

According to Egyptian al-Yaum al-Sabea newspaper, the attack on the North Sinai capital of Arish was conducted on Wednesday night killing three police officers, an interior Ministry sergeant and a soldier. At least 10 people sustained gunshot injuries during the incident.

Egypt has been conducting anti-terror operations in the last two years within Sinai region. The region is known to harbor many ISIS-affiliated extremist fighters.

The fighters have been directing many attacks towards policemen and soldiers in North Sinai. The extremist’s insurgency increased after the army ousted the former president, Mohammed Morsi in 2013.