Egypt army says killed 29 'terrorists' in Sinai

CAIRO

The Egyptian army said Saturday that its troops killed 29 "terrorists" and arrested 133 wanted militants over the past 11 days in raids in the northern quarter of the restive Sinai Peninsula.

"Twenty nine terrorists were killed in shootouts with army and police troops in northern Sinai between April 20 and 30," army spokesman Mohamed Samir said on Facebook.

He added that army troops also arrested 133 militants, who participated in "terrorist plots" against security forces,  and destroyed five sites used by the militants.

Samir said army troops also destroyed 51 "terrorist sites", 43 vehicles and 96 motorbikes used by militants in staging attacks against army troops and policemen in northern Sinai.

Egypt has been cracking down on militancy in Sinai, which shares borders with Israel and the Gaza Strip, for more than a year now amid a rise in militant attacks against army personnel, policemen and security sites.