Egyptian security forces killed on Monday a leading Islamic State (IS) militant in a gunfight in Cairo, according to the Interior Ministry.
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Ashraf Ali Hassanein Gharabli died in a firefight that erupted when police tried to arrest him on Sunday in the capital’s El-Marg district, the statement said, adding that Gharabli had opened fire with a 9mm pistol when policemen approached him outside his auto.
The jihadist was considered by the Egyptian authorities as one of the most unsafe criminals in the country. El-Gharably was responsible for an assassination attempt against former Minister of Interior Mohamed Ibrahim, in addition to several attacks on army checkpoints and security buildings around Egypt. He was driving a vehicle when the police attacked him in order to arrest him.
The ministry described Gharabli as a “dangerous terrorist” who ran operations for Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which has pledged allegiance to ISIS and its leader.
According to the statement, police forces had been monitoring El-Gharably in Cairo, where he was reportedly planning a terrorist attack.
The attacks targeting police and military increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 by military following massive protests against his rule.
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The Daesh-affiliate in Sinai, known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, recently made headlines for claiming responsibility for the downing of a Russian passenger jet in the peninsula.
