Egypt’s army announced Sunday (November 13th) it had killed 14 gunmen during North Sinai raids, bringing the total number of militant deaths during the past week to 40, Egypt's Ahram Online reported.
Army and police forces were able to kill 14 gunmen through a series of raids targeting hideouts in several villages near Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid, the army spokesman said in a statement.
The raids saw heavy gunfire between security forces and the gunmen, who took shelter in buildings and farming areas, the spokesman said.
Egyptian forces destroyed hideouts from which militants had staged attacks, and blew up 10 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a four-wheel-drive armoured van, and other vehicles.
Security forces were reinforcing their control of the area by enforcing a tight security cordon around the areas to prevent extremist infiltration, the army spokesman said.
Over the past week, the army said, it killed 26 militants as part of the ongoing crackdown on "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) affiliate Wilayat Sinai.
