Egyptian soldier foils terror attack in Sinai

An Egyptian soldier on Tuesday (October 10th) opened fire on a car that was speeding toward a cement factory he was guarding in northern Sinai, killing the driver and causing the vehicle to explode, according to local media reports.

The soldier, identified as Wahid Yahia Gamal, was killed in the ensuing blast, security sources said.

Military officials said the soldier’s heroism averted a real catastrophe in central Sinai and prevented the suicide bomber from blowing up the army-owned cement factory in al-Hasna.

"Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) gunmen last month set vehicles that belonged to tribesmen on fire in response to their co-operation with the army, the group said in a September 17th statement.

Those vehicles were allegedly transporting cement from the factory to distribution and work sites, military sources told Al-Mashareq.

Highly trained soldiers

"Soldiers in Sinai have a strong combat doctrine aimed at eliminating terrorism and restoring security and stability to the area," said military expert Maj. Gen. Galal Abdel-Hadi.

"The troops are highly trained in spotting armed militants, and have over the past months thwarted many terrorist operations," he told Al-Mashareq.

ISIS is trying to retaliate against the army and tribes in Sinai after the army tightened the noose on the group, cut its supply routes and killed many of its elements in co-operation with tribesmen.

"The methods used by ISIS show a lack of planning and absolute randomness in the execution of operations," said Abdel-Hadi.

This is proof that the group is under siege in Egypt, with its communication lines with leaders in Syria and Iraq cut and its arms and ammunition supplies interrupted, he said.