25 Egyptian policemen were killed by militants in Sinai

Egyptian military forces in Sinai

25 Egyptian policemen have been killed today, on 19 August 2013, in Northern Sinai, close to the Rafah, which is located on the Egyptian-Israeli border and is close to Gaza.

Egypt’s state television reported the policemen have been killed in an ambushed attack launched by the militants. Two microbuses were carrying the off-service policemen dressed in civilian clothes through the village close to the border city of Rafah in Northern Sinai, when they have been attacked by the terrorists.

The militants have fired rocket-propelled grenades on the buses carrying the policemen. Then, according to the military officials, who were speaking on conditions of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to media, the militants forces the policemen to go out of the buses and to stand in line. All the policemen have received the orders to lay down on the ground, after what they all have been shot dead.

Egyptian military authorities reported the policemen have been killed in an execution manner. 25 policemen have been killed and three wounded as a result of the ambushed attack.

Sinai

There was some confusion at the beginning regarding the attack as the official sources reported at the beginning the policemen have been killed by the rocket fire, and then lately there were reports of the execution.

The situation in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula remains tense and unsafe after ouster of Hosni Mubarak in 2011 with the network of terrorist elements operating on its territory. The situation deteriorated significantly after Islamist backed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy was ousted by the military decree on 3 July 2013.

The attacks against Egypt’s military check-points and bases and against police stations as well in Northern Sinai including Al-Arish city happened on a daily basis.

Egypt’s Armed Forces have launched several massive military operations in the region in order to eliminate the terrorist activity. The significant numbers of the suspected militants have been already killed or arrested by the security and military forces, but the situation remains tense.