Egypt army says 60 militants in Sinai killed
8/7/2013
A supporter of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi holds his posters with Arabic writing which reads " Yes for legality," during a protest outside Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque, where protesters have installed a camp and hold daily rallies at Nasr City in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013.
CAIRO — Egypt’s military spokesman says 60 militants have been killed and 103 arrested on the Sinai Peninsula as part of the army’s operations there over the past month.
Col. Ahmed Mohammed Ali released the figures Wednesday on his official Facebook page. He did not name any of suspects killed or detained.
The Facebook post said that authorities also destroyed 102 smuggling tunnels to the Palestinian Gaza Strip during this time.
The military’s figures could not be independently verified.
More than 20 policemen and soldiers have been killed in near daily clashes in Sinai since President Mohammed Morsi’s ouster July 3. About a dozen civilians have also been killed in violence there.
Emboldened militants have increased the frequency of their attacks on the army on the peninsula to exploit the political turmoil.