Six Egyptian soldiers killed in Sinai checkpoint attack

Suspected Takfiri militants have attacked a security checkpoint in Egypt’s northern Sinai Peninsula, killing six soldiers and wounding four more.

“Armed terrorists attacked one of the security checkpoints in Arish City using handbombs and firearms,” an army statement read on Friday.

Two of the gunmen were killed and one was injured during the exchange of fire that lasted about half an hour, security sources added.

Egyptian armed forces are fighting a militancy in northern Sinai led by Velayat Sinai, formerly known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which is a militant group affiliated to Daesh Takfiri terrorists.

Hundreds of Egyptian security forces have been killed in attacks carried out by Velayat Sinai group over the past few years.

In July, nearly two dozen soldiers were killed and 26 more wounded in two bombings claimed by the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group, which targeted security checkpoints south of the city of Rafah in northern Sinai.

Velayat Sinai has also carried out terrorist attacks against members of Egypt’s Coptic Christian community as well as foreigners visiting the country.

In May, Takfiri militants attacked a bus carrying Coptic Christians in Egypt’s southern Minya Province, leaving dozens of causalities.

The attack came after church bombings in December and April claimed by the Daesh group that killed dozens of Egypt’s Coptic Christians.