The Egyptian army spokesman, Mohammed Samir, announced on Thursday that the leader of Daesh-affiliated Sinai Province, formerly known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, was killed in North Sinai in a security operation that also left more than 45 militants dead and dozens injured.
The militant group has waged an insurgency in the Sinai peninsula since declaring allegiance to Daesh in November 2014.
The military, in cooperation with security forces, has conducted several campaigns to crush insurgents and cut off their arms supplies. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi also issued a presidential decree in July extending the state of emergency in several Sinai regions for three months.
The military spokesman said on his Facebook page on Thursday that a series of airstrikes targeted Daesh positions south and southwest of Arish, the largest town on the Sinai Peninsula.
Military forces “were able to kill the leader of Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, the terrorist called Abu Doaa al-Ansari, and a number of his top aides in addition to more than 45 terrorist elements,” said the spokesman.
“This successful operation confirms the pledges of the armed forces to avenge their martyrs and … pursue all the terrorist elements and leaders wherever they are found until Egypt and its great people enjoy security and stability,” the military added.
Editor's note: This article has been edited from the source material.
