An Egyptian air strike killed the head of "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) affiliate Wilayat Sinai, the army said Thursday (August 4th).
The army's announcement did not say when the operation took place, but named the head of the group as Abu Doaa al-Ansari, AFP reported.
A military source said Ansari was the group's "number one" leader.
Al-Ansari was killed along with top aides and more than 45 other "terrorist elements" in an operation against the group's strongholds to the south and southwest of al-Arish carried out jointly by the air force and the anti-terrorism squad, the army spokesman said.
The operation also destroyed depots where weapons, ammunition and explosives were stashed. Wilayat Sinai has claimed attacks that have killed hundreds of security personnel in Sinai.
