Islamic militants blamed for killing army chief

Suspected Islamic militants yesterday gunned down a senior Egyptian army officer near his home in a Cairo suburb, according to security officials.

The victim was identified as Brig Gen Adel Ragai, commander of the army’s 9th armoured division.

The attack bore the hallmarks of militant Islamic groups fighting security forces in the Sinai Peninsula.

Violence in northern Sinai has surged, with air strikes and raids on militants’ hideouts. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has said he expects the war in Sinai to continue for a long time.