Egypt: Islamic militants kill twelve Egyptian soldiers

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Egypt | 26 October 2016

As reported by Al-Jazeera on 14 October 2016, Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for an attack on a checkpoint in North Sinai province which resulted in the death of 12 Egyptian soldiers. The Egyptian army released a statement in which it claimed to have killed 15 of the attackers. The Egyptian air force also launched airstrikes against positions believed to be controlled by the militants. Yonas Dembele, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, comments: "This attack is one of the biggest carried out by the Islamic militants operating in the Sinai province. The persistence of such attacks and the inability of the Egyptian government to achieve a decisive victory against the insurgents is unsettling. These groups affiliated to IS are very dangerous not only for the security of the Egyptian nation but also for Egyptian Christians who will be sure to face more persecution if such groups become stronger. Egyptian Christians see the defeat of these insurgents as one of the highest priorities for their government."