Egypt's Sinai rocked by wave of deadly attacks
A wave of attacks by Islamic State (IS) militants in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula has left at least 50 people dead, security and medical sources say.
Near-simultaneous raids were launched on at least five military checkpoints and a police station in and around Sheikh Zuweid yesterday morning.
Clashes were continuing in the area hours later, with militants reportedly roaming the northern town's streets.
It is one of the largest coordinated assaults yet by militants in the Sinai.
Jihadists based in the restive region stepped up their attacks after the military overthrew Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013. At least 600 police and armed forces personnel have since been killed.
In a separate development yesterday, security officials said nine members of Mr Morsi's now banned Muslim Brotherhood, including former MP Nasr al-Hafi, had been killed in a police raid on a flat in western Cairo.
The security situation in Egypt has worsened since the assassination of the public prosecutor, Hisham Barakat, two days ago in the capital.
'TROOPS CAPTURED'
Military spokesman Brig-Gen Mohammed Samir said more than 70 "terrorists" fired mortar rounds and detonated a car bomb in attacks on five checkpoints in the Sheikh Zuweid area of North Sinai province yesterday morning.
Ten soldiers were killed or wounded along with 39 assailants, he added.
Security and army officials told the Associated Press that at least 50 troops had been killed and 55 wounded, and that several had also been taken captive.
Sources meanwhile told the Reuters news agency that at least 36 soldiers, policemen and civilians had been killed along with 38 militants.
Islamic State's local affiliate, Sinai Province, later said in a statement posted online that it had targeted 15 security sites and carried out three suicide attacks.
In the afternoon, Gen Samir said the air force was "targeting terrorists on the ground as clashes continue".
Officials told AP that dozens of policemen were inside Sheikh Zuweid's main police station, which they said was coming under mortar- and RPG-fire.
"We are not allowed to leave our homes. Clashes are ongoing. A short while ago I saw five [Toyota] Landcruisers with masked gunmen waving black flags," Sheikh Zuweid resident Suleiman al-Sayed told Reuters.
The militants were also reported to have planted bombs along a road between Sheikh Zuweid and a nearby army camp to prevent reinforcements arriving.
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