Update: Car bomb kills 10 soldiers in Sinai

Ten soldiers were killed and 35 others seriously injured in a car bomb explosion on Wednesday morning in northern Sinai, according to the official spokesperson of the Egyptian Armed Forces.

Colonel Ahmed Ali, in a statement released on Facebook, said the car bomb targeted an army convoy and resulted in the death of a driver, three soldiers providing security for the convoy and 6 other soldiers. The injured were transported to military hospitals. Ali added that the car used in the explosion was a Hyundai Verna.

The statement continued: "The Armed Forces extends its sincerest condolences and expresses sorrow about the blood shed by its sons during the performance of their duties. It reaffirms to the great Egyptian people that its men are determined to continue their war against this dark terrorism and to completely wipe out those who call for darkness and sedition and who denounce others as apostates.

“We emphasize that our sons’ precious blood only increases our determination to cleanse Egypt and protect its people from traitorous violence and terrorism."

The roadside car bomb exploded at around 7.45 a.m. in Khorooba, near the coastal town of Arish, according to a report in the privately owned Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper.

The bus worst hit by the bomb was carrying infantry conscripts about to begin a period of leave. Those who were killed were from the Second Field Army, according to the privately owned Youm7 news outlet, quoting a military source.

Periodic militant attacks on security bodies in northern Sinai spiked after the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi in July of this year.