The al-Qaida-inspired Sinai State, which has vowed loyalty to the Islamic State (IS) militant group, claimed in a statement responsibility for the attack. Mohamed Samir, a military spokesman, said another three were killed and four wounded in a mortar attack in the same region.
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CAIRO Islamic State’s Egypt affiliate said in a statement on a social media site it carried out an attack in North Sinai on military checkpoints that killed five members of the country’s security forces on Saturday.
The army targeted militants’ headquarters, killing 20 in Gabal Alika area in Shiekh Zwayied, army spokesperson Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said.
Egyptian military says operations in violence-hit peninsula have left seven soldiers and 59 fighters dead.
The militants, who call themselves Sinai Province, posted pictures and video online of what looked like a missile followed by a large explosion on the ship.
North Sinai has witnessed many violent attacks by militants since January, 2011 revolution that toppled the ex-president Hosni Mubarak.
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This month, the army engaged in a 13-hour fight with Islamic State militants in the Sinai town of Sheikh Zuweid as the insurgents tried to capture the city, a bid that was only foiled when fighter jets were put to use. Officials from several branches of Egypt’s security forces previously told The Associated Press that the attack killed dozens more.
