Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — Egypt has reported an intensification of the
counter-insurgency campaign in the Sinai Peninsula.

The Egyptian military has significantly expanded operations against the
Al Qaida-aligned insurgency presence in Sinai. Security sources said scores
of suspected insurgency strongholds have been raided this month.

“These are joint operations of the military and security forces,” a source said.

The sources said the CI campaign has focused on northeastern Sinai, particularly the corridor from El Arish to the border of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. They said at least 55 suspected Al Qaida and Bedouin insurgency strongholds were raided around El Arish, Rafah and Sheik Zweid over a space of several days.

Three Islamist fighters were killed in the clashes in operations against seven villages. The sources said 11 others, five of them Palestinians, were arrested during the raids and nine of the strongholds were demolished.

The 2nd Army has led the campaign, with support from the Central
Security Forces. The sources said operations, which uncovered weapons
caches, were bolstered by attack helicopters and armored personnel carriers.

The Army has reported progress in the latest CI campaign, which began in
August 2013. But the sources have acknowledged nearly daily insurgency
attacks on army and police checkpoints and convoys.

  Bedouins, Central Security Forces, Egypt steps up raids on insurgent strongholds in Sinai, El Arish, Gaza Strip, Islamist fighters