Three killed in Sinai during military operations

Three people were killed in North Sinai on Monday in the course of security operations, Armed Forces spokesperson Ahmed Mohamed Ali reported on his official Facebook page.

The victims were allegedly riding a motorbike at the time of their death, the spokesperson wrote, claiming that they were attempting to plant an explosive device.

The Armed Forces also arrested two Palestinians during the operation, accusing them of attempting to enter Egypt through the Gaza tunnels without any official documents.

Fifteen undocumented migrants from an unnamed African country were also arrested in the course of a house raid, Ali continued, and security forces also confiscated illegal narcotic substances as well as several vehicles.

Since former President Mohamed Morsi’s forcible removal from office on July 3, the Armed Forces has intensified operations in Sinai as part of what the military institution calls a “war on terrorism.” There has been a dramatic upswing in attacks on police stations, military checkpoints and other state facilities since July.

However, many Sinai residents attribute the increase in violence to the economic and political marginalization of the peninsula, which has suffered from state neglect for decades.