Egypt's army killed three suspected militants in jihadist-stricken North Sinai on Monday, as a presidential committee arrived to discuss community issues with locals.A security source told Al-Ahram daily that counter-insurgency operations in Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid destroyed 14 "terrorist" sites, killed three suspected militants and arrested 15 others. They also seized weapons and explosives.
Meanwhile, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi sent the Community Development Council to meet with heads of clans in Rafah to discuss how to tackle their problems and improve their conditions.
Egypt's military has been combating a decade-long jihadist insurgency in Sinai, with attacks increasing over the past year. Hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed, while the army says it has killed and arrested hundreds of jihadists. Civilians have also been caught in the violence.
On 24 October, at least 32 members of the security forces were killed in two attacks by unknown assailants in North Sinai, prompting the government to declare a three-month state of emergency in the area.
In addition, the government started evacuating over 1,100 families from a strip of territory adjacent to the Gaza border to create a buffer zone.
