Egypt Army Says Foiled 'Terrorist' Attack İn Sinai

The Egyptian army said Tuesday that it had foiled a "terrorist attack" on a checkpoint in the city of Sheikh Zuwaid in the northern quarter of the Sinai Peninsula.



"Egyptian army troops thwarted a terrorist attack in the early hours of Tuesday," army spokesman Mohamed Samir said on Facebook.



"Some 20 terrorist elements in four vehicles fired mortar shells on a checkpoint in Sheikh Zuwaid followed by heavy gunfire," the spokesman said.



He added that security forces "swiftly dealt with the situation and fired back at the terrorist elements."



"The attack left three terrorists dead while others managed to escape, leaving behind their ammunition," the spokesman said.



He said no casualties were reported among army troops.



Egypt has been cracking down on militancy in Sinai, which shares borders with Israel and the Gaza Strip, for almost two years now amid a rise in militant attacks against army personnel, policemen and security sites.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Kahire