Egyptian security forces have killed 15 suspected militants in a shootout in North Sinai, AFP reported Sunday (September 29th).
According to an interior ministry statement, "terrorist elements" had been hiding at a farm in the North Sinai provincial capital of al-Arish.
When forces approached, "the militants shot live rounds forcing troops to deal with them (and) leading to 15 deaths", the ministry said.
Authorities said they found a small trove of stashed weapons including an explosive belt, several rifles and an explosive device.
The ministry did not specify when the shootout took place, but the announcement follows recent military operations in Sinai that authorities say killed 118 suspected militants.
In February 2018, Egypt's military launched a nationwide offensive against extremist groups, focused mainly on North Sinai, where the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) still has a significant presence.
