Egypt military targeted in deadly Sinai attacks

At least 26 people, mostly soldiers, have been
killed in a series of attacks by Islamist militants in
the north of Egypt's Sinai peninsula.
A car bomb and rockets hit several military targets
in the North Sinai provincial capital of El-Arish.
Other attacks took place in the town of Sheik
Zuwayid and in Rafah, near Gaza.
The US condemned the attacks, saying it remained
"steadfast in its support of the Egyptian
government's efforts to combat the threat of
terrorism".
Militant group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which pledges
allegiance to Islamic State, said it carried out the
"extensive, simultaneous" attacks.
The insurgents have intensified attacks since
Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was
ousted in 2013.
Correspondents say Thursday's attacks were some
of the worst anti-government violence in Egypt for
months.
Tensions have also been raised across Egypt this
week amid protests marking the anniversary of the
2011 uprising that ousted then-leader Hosni
Mubarak.
Security officials said rockets were first fired at
police offices, a military base and a military hotel
in El-Arish before a car bomb exploded at the rear
gate of the military base. Several army checkpoints
in the city were also targeted.
Newspaper al-Ahram said its El-Arish office -
which is opposite the hotel and base - had been
completely destroyed.
Four soldiers were wounded in an attack at a
checkpoint outside El-Arish and an army major
was later shot dead at a checkpoint in Rafah,
medical and security sources said.
More than 50 people were wounded in Thursday's
attacks.
North Sinai has been under a state of emergency
and a curfew since October when an attack on a
checkpoint killed dozens of soldiers.
The army has launched major operations to try to
quell violence in the region, but has so far failed.
Ansar Beit al-Maqdis has become the biggest
threat, staging many attacks on security targets.
Analysts say Thursday's wide-ranging attacks
indicate a previously unseen level of co-ordination.
The group, which was originally inspired by al-
Qaeda but later pledged allegiance to Islamic State,
has called on Egyptians to rebel against President
Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.
President Sisi is the former military chief who led
the crackdown on Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood.
The Brotherhood has said it rejects violence.
Egypt is creating a 1km (0.6-mile) buffer zone
along the border with Gaza in a bid to stop
militants smuggling weapons in from the
Palestinian territory using tunnels.
The project has displaced more than 1,000 families
in Rafah and severed an economic lifeline for many
Palestinians.