Militants kill 18 in attack on police in Egypt

EL-ARISH, Egypt — Islamic State militants ambushed a police convoy in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on Monday, killing 18 police officers and wounding seven others in one of the deadliest attacks this year in the restive region bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Police and military officials said roadside bombs destroyed and set ablaze four armoured vehicles and a fifth carrying signal-jamming equipment meant to neutralize roadside bombs that are remotely detonated. The gunmen later opened fire with machine-guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.

Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier general, said the officials, who agreed to discuss the attack only on condition of anonymity.

The Islamic State group, which is spearheading an insurgency centred in northern Sinai, claimed responsibility for the attack on its Aamaq news agency.

The Interior Ministry, which oversees the police, issued a statement confirming the incident.

It said police travelling in the convoy fired at a car that rushed toward them, causing it to blow up and damage several of the convoy’s vehicles. That was followed by an exchange of gunfire with “terrorist elements” hiding in the desert on both sides of the road, it said.

“That led to the martyrdom and wounding of some of the convoy’s personnel,” the statement cryptically added.

“Reinforcements were swiftly sent, the site has been sealed off and combing operations are underway,” it said.

Egypt’s cabinet issued a statement in response to the attack, reiterating the country’s resolve to stamp out terrorism and hunt down militants.Again, the statement provided no casualty figures or details of the attack.

The UN Security Council, which includes Egypt as a member, condemned “the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack.”