Military helicopter in Sinai
Military helicopter in SinaiFlash 90

Egypt's army announced on Sunday that it killed 10 terrorists as its forces thwarted a major terror attack on a military checkpoint in North Sinai province, the Xinhua news agency reported.

In a statement, Egypt’s army spokesperson Tamer al-Refai said members of the armed forces managed to foil a terrorist attack on a security post in North Sinai, adding that the assault caused the death and injury of seven troopers, including two officers.

A four-wheel drive vehicle used by the terrorists was destroyed, he said, noting that army forces started an operation in search of terrorists at the scene of the attack.

Egypt has been fighting an insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula for several years, which at times has spilled over into other parts of the country. Most of the attacks this time period have been claimed by the Sinai Province, the Islamic State (ISIS) affiliate in Egypt.

The country has been under a state of emergency since April of 2018, after two suicide bombings at churches claimed by ISIS killed at least 45 people in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria.

In February of 2018, Egypt launched operation “Sinai 2018” in an effort to rid the Sinai Peninsula of Islamic terrorists.