Egypt Security: Gov't extends state of emergency by another three months
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We move on to other news. Egypt has declared an extension of a state of emergency as an insurgency in the Sinai region is still posing a threat to the country. On Saturday, militants killed eight security officers, in one of the biggest attacks since the Sinai anti-terrorism operation began last February. Here is Adel EL Mahrouky with more.
The army says four suicide bombers attacked a North Sinai security military camp, while ten others aided them by opening fire at military personnel on Saturday. No group has claimed responsibility yet, experts however say it looks like an ISIL attack. An Army statement confirmed that all of the 14 perpetrators were killed. They, however, took the lives of eight Army soldiers as they detonated they explosives vests.
MOSTAFA AMIN RESEARCHER OF ISLAMIC GROUPS, ARAB CENTER FOR STUDIES "The ISIL affiliated Sinai province is the most likely group behind that attack, it is very similar to their way of their attack. There is no group in Sinai capable of such an attack except them. They want to show the world that the Sinai 2018 military operation won't affect them and that it's no different than any previous military operation there."
Egypt's biggest anti-terrorism military campaign, Operation Sinai 2018, enters its third month. Military announcements announced destroying the enormous infrastructure groups affiliated to ISIL have built in the past years. Just during the past few days the Army says aerial strikes and police ground engagements killed 27 militants. 114 suspects were arrested. 150 hideouts and armors ware houses were discovered and destroyed.
MOSTAFA AMIN RESEARCHER OF ISLAMIC GROUPS, ARAB CENTER FOR STUDIES "Sinai 2018 succeeded to destroy most infrastructure of these militant groups, it terminated most of the supply of arms and militants to the Sinai Province coming in mainly from Gaza. We were expecting to see such a huge number of militants and weapons, they've been building their foundation for so long, but military operation has destroyed about 80-90% of that base."
For five consecutive years, Cairo has been fighting a rise of militant insurgency in North Sinai. Groups affiliated to ISIL and the Muslim Brotherhood have attacked army and police checkpoints, mosques and churches in North Sinai and other Egyptian cities including the capital Cairo. Hundreds of civilians, military and police officers have been killed.
ADEL EL MAHROUKY CAIRO, EGYPT Due to this long-lasting threat, Cairo has decided to declare another three months of emergency state all over the country. The Egyptian President has assigned police and army troops to do whatever it takes to combat terrorism. Egypt has been under that exceptional state of law for a year, after two churches were bombed last spring. AMA CGTN CA.