El Arish – The Latest on an attack on a police convoy in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula (all times local):
14:30
The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the ambush of a police convoy in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula that Egyptian officials said killed 18 police and wounded seven.
The claim of responsibility for Monday’s attack was carried by the extremist group’s Aamaq news agency.
Egyptian police and military officials said the attack began with roadside bombs that destroyed and set ablaze four armored vehicles and a fifth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The gunmen later opened fire with machine guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.
It was the deadliest attack in the northern Sinai in months.
13:30
Egyptian officials say the death toll from an attack on a police convoy in the Sinai Peninsula has risen to 18, making it one of the deadliest attacks in the restive area in months.
The police and military officials say Monday’s attack began with the detonation of roadside bombs that destroyed and set ablaze four armored vehicles and a fifth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The gunmen later opened fire with machine guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.
Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier general.
The attack took place about 30km west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicenter of a long-running insurgency by militants now led by the extremist Islamic State group.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
11:40
Egyptian officials say suspected militants have ambushed a police convoy in the Sinai Peninsula, killing two policemen and wounding two others, including a police brigadier-general.
The police and military officials say the Monday attack began with the detonation of roadside bombs that destroyed and set ablaze three armored vehicles and a fourth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The suspected militants later opened fire with machine guns.
The attack took place about 30km west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicenter of a long-running insurgency by militants now led by the extremist Islamic State group.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.