Province of Sinai describes North Sinai attacks in statement, photos

The Islamic State-affiliated militant group Province of Sinai released a statement Friday addressing the deadly attacks perpetrated on several military sites and checkpoints in the North Sinai cities of Sheikh Zuwayed and Rafah on Wednesday.

At least 17 soldiers and an estimated 100 militants were killed in the attacks and ensuing violence, according to the military, though other sources claim a much higher death toll.

The statement called Wednesday’s attacks the “Battle of Sheikh Abu Sohaib al-Ansary,” saying it was part of an ongoing operation called “We will take revenge.” The group said it targeted 20 different sites in the operation, with a particular focus on the Sedra and Rifaea checkpoints. Three cars laden with explosives forced Armed Forces personnel to flee from the two checkpoints, the group said.

Following those attacks, the militants attempted to besiege the Sheikh Zuwayed police station and simultaneously worked to prevent military forces from reaching the other targeted checkpoints, the statement continued. Province of Sinai forces then attacked the military’s Apache helicopters, before the Armed Forces regrouped and began an assault with F-16 fighter jets, the group claimed.

“They intervened with a huge attack against Muslims with five scouting planes accompanying the F-16s, which forced the jihadists to retreat to save Muslim lives,” the statement alleged.

The Province of Sinai also claimed to have attacked other checkpoints from the east of Arish to Rafah with rocket-propelled grenades and other arms, including Karm al-Qawadees, Masoura, Sadot, Wili Lafy, Garada and others. These assaults claimed the lives of dozens of soldiers, the statement purported, insisting that many more Armed Forces personnel died than the army had admitted.

The statement further claimed a rocket attack on the Arish airport, a rocket attack on an army tank at the Washy checkpoint and three other assaults on military equipment as the militant group tried to halt the advancement of army reinforcements after the initial bombing.

Photos accompanying the statement showed machine-gun-toting militants on rooftops, attacks on military checkpoints, the dead bodies of purported soldiers and the alleged assault on the Apache helicopters.

Hours before the Province of Sinai released its statement, the Armed Forces circulated a video detailing its operation against the militants as part of the government’s domestic and international campaign against terrorism in response to the Sinai attacks and Monday’s assassination of Prosecutor General Hesham Barakat.

“The heroes of the Armed Forces were in a new epic journey to foil a strong terrorist plot aimed at attacking military sites and checkpoints in Sheikh Zuwayed and Rafah in order to cause a state of chaos and security vacuum, as well as spread illusions that Sheikh Zuwayed was under the control of jihadist groups,” claimed the video’s narration.