Terrorists kill six in attack in Sinai, say security sources

CAIRO (Reuters) – Four Egyptian policemen and two civilians were killed and 22 others were wounded in an attack on a security post in North Sinai province on Monday, security sources said.

Egypt is fighting an insurgency against terrorists affiliated with Islamic State in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula where hundreds of security forces have been killed since 2013.

Witnesses said five SUVs, each carrying four armed fighters, fired at security forces nearby MarGerges Church and a branch of National Bank of Egypt in Arish, the capital of North Sinai.

“The militants fired shots randomly in the street as if they were celebrating, with some of them raising their black flags [of Islamic State], and they roamed the streets for about 20 minutes then disappeared,” said Alaa Lotfy, a shop owner in the area who witnessed the clashes.

The insurgents stole some money from the bank, one security source said. The bank, which has closed its other branches in the city, has not commented.

Attacks targeting security forces have been common since Egypt’s Islamist president Muhammad Morsi was ousted in 2013 following mass protests against his rule.

At least 24 terrorists and six soldiers were killed on Sunday in attacks on military outposts in North Sinai.