EGYPT: Egyptian Military forces, supported by helicopter gunship airpower, continue a crackdown on Islamist militants in North Sinai

Record ID: 644454

  • Title: EGYPT: Egyptian Military forces, supported by helicopter gunship airpower, continue a crackdown on Islamist militants in North Sinai
  • Date: 8th September 2013
  • Summary: AL-MUQATA, SINAI, EGYPT (SEPTEMBER 8, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EGYPTIAN MILITARY APACHE HELICOPTER OVER VILLAGE VARIOUS OF SMOKE RISING FROM HOUSE IN VILLAGE AL-MAHDIYA, SINAI, EGYPT (SEPTEMBER 8, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PILLAR OF HOUSE IN VILLAGE BROKEN INSIDE PILLARS OF HOUSE DESTROYED CAR WITHOUT LICENSE PLATE NEAR HOUSE EXTERIOR OF HOUSE DESTROYED IN CRACKDOWN
  • Embargoed: 23rd September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA2PNGHIHG6C5T80G30M5ZCJ5RR
  • Story Text: A crackdown by the Egyptian military against Islamist militants in North Sinai continued in two villages on Sunday (September 8).
    A military Apache helicopter gunship was seen flying over recently destroyed houses in Al-Muqata village, south of Sheikh Zuweid, a few kilometres (miles) from the Palestinian Gaza Strip, which witnessed similar operations last week.
    In a nearby village south of the Rafah border with Gaza, houses in Al-Mahdiya were destroyed.
    Security officials said a major military operation against militants on Saturday (September 7) killed at least nine people.
    The military is reported to have cut all lines of communication in Sinai.
    Radical Islamists in the rugged desert region adjoining Israel, who expanded into a security vacuum left by the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, have been staging almost daily assaults on security forces and other targets.
    Since the army toppled Islamist President Mohamed Mursi on July 3, and especially since security forces killed hundreds of Islamists when they smashed protest camps in Cairo on Aug. 14, there have been online calls from Islamist radicals for wider attacks on the state.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register