Cairo:
At least 21 militants have been killed in retaliatory strikes carried out by the Egyptian army to avenge last week's terrorist attack that killed 12 soldiers in the restive North Sinai province, military said on Saturday.
"Twenty-one takfiri terrorists were killed and 24 hideouts as well as 40 motorcycles used by militants destroyed in the operation," military spokesperson Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said.
Earlier on Friday, a statement by the ministry of interior said that two policemen were killed and conscript was injured in a roadside blast in Al-Arish city of North Sinai.
The region has witnessed many attacks by militants since the January, 2011 revolution that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak.
The attacks targeting police and military increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 by military following massive protests against his rule. Over 700 security personnel have been reported killed since then.
The military has launched security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.
