Egypt: 5 soldiers killed, wounded during raids in North Sinai

SANAA, May 31 (YPA) – A military spokesman for the Egyptian forces on Sunday reported that five soldiers were killed and wounded during raids carried out by the Egyptian army in North Sinai Governorate.
A statement by the Egyptian forces pointed to the killing and wounding of two officers, a non-commissioned officer and two of its forces during the operations.
The Egyptian army declared, “19 terrorists were killed during military strikes carried out last week against sites that were used by armed groups.”
The army added that, “based on intelligence information that there are penitential elements in several dens in the vicinity of the cities of Bir al-Abd and Sheikh Zuid and Rafah in North Sinai, two specific operations were carried out, the first of which resulted in the killing of 3 high-risk takfiri individuals, who were found in possession of automatic weapons and ammunition, hand grenades and (RPG). ”
The Air Force also carried out a number of intensive strikes, which resulted in the killing of 16 terrorist elements.
The Egyptian forces reported that they “targeted and destroyed two SUVs, and a warehouse containing a large amount of explosive devices and logistical support, and the Border Guard forces managed to seize a number of smugglers with a large amount of weapons and ammunition in various calibers and a number of four-wheel drive vehicles.”
The Egyptian forces said that they had seized large quantities of hashish and the banjo plant hidden inside a number of cars, in addition to a car carrying amounts of money amounting to 200 thousand dollars by the tunnel of the martyr Ahmed Hamdi, which is located below the Suez Canal.