Egypt killed 77 militants in Sinai

CAIRO, Egypt

Egypt’s military has announced that operations in the country’s Sinai Peninsula resulted in the deaths of 77 militants in recent weeks.

The North African country’s armed forces say their efforts in the restive north-eastern region destroyed 317 shelters or weapons caches and 10 four-wheeled vehicles between July 22 and August 30.

Seven members of the security forces were killed in the same period, the Defence Ministry says.

Video released by the ministry shows aerial footage of remote strikes targeting alleged militant outposts and vehicles, alongside the corpses of alleged fighters gripping automatic rifles.

For years, North Sinai has been the site of bloody clashes between government forces and insurgents, some of which are affiliated with the Islamic State tendency.

Deadly attacks on civilians by Sinai militants have prompted vows of reprisal from Egypt’s government and have resulted in a major military focus on the area.