Egypt begins battle against IS militants

CAIRO: Egypt began a major assault against militants yesterday focused on the Sinai peninsula – where Islamic State group attacks have killed soldiers, police and civilians – aiming to crush their insurgency by an end of February deadline set by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

The former general on November 29 ordered the military to defeat militants in North Sinai within three months, after an attack on a mosque that killed about 300 people, the deadliest such incident in the Arab world’s most populous country.

Security sources said the operation was unprecedented in its scope, co-ordination and size.

Residents said they saw warplanes flying above the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, which borders North Sinai to the west. To the north-east of the vast, remote desert region, people in the Gaza Strip said they heard explosions coming from Egyptian territory. A military spokesman said the operation would cover large parts of Sinai, but also parts of the Nile Delta and the Western Desert.

The campaign takes place ahead of a March election in which Sisi is seeking a second term. He is widely expected to win. Sisi faces a last-minute challenger who has said he supports the incumbent. All opposition figures thought to pose a serious challenge to Sisi have pulled out of the race, accusing the government of underhand tactics. But Sisi says the election will be free and transparent. – Reuters