Uncategorized

Two Egyptian army officers killed in shootout with militants

Published

10 years ago

March 19, 2014

Gunmen killed two Egyptian military personnel and
injured a third when security forces raided a militant hideout on
Wednesday, the Interior Ministry said.
Two army explosives experts, a general and a colonel, and five
members of the Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis were killed in the shootout in
Qalyubia province, north of Cairo, the ministry said in a statement
posted on its website. Four other members of the group, one of
Egypt’s most active militant organizations, were wounded, as was a
special forces officer.
Intelligence had indicated the group was using a wood manufacturing
workshop as a base and to store weapons and ammunition, the
Interior Ministry said.
The clashes lasted several hours, the statement added.
Islamist militants are expanding their insurgency in Egypt, where
army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is expected to
announce he will run for president. El-Sisi played a key role in the
military overthrow of former President Mohamed Morsy last July.
Militants based in the Sinai Peninsula near the Israeli border have
stepped up attacks on soldiers and policemen since Morsy’s ouster,
which came amid widespread protests against his rule. Morsy and
other Muslim Brotherhood leaders were rounded up soon after.