Egyptian army reports 5 militants killed in Sinai
Navy and border patrol join forces to secure Suez area
The Egyptian army killed five terrorists in the Sinai peninsula on Saturday amid ongoing battles between Islamists and security forces in the peninsula, the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram reported Sunday.
A total of 37 militants have been killed in the territory since the toppling of president Mohammed Morsi in early July, according to al-Ahram, as Islamists loyal to the Muslim Brotherhood have stepped up attacks in the wake of the coup.
The death toll includes several Palestinian citizens thought to have infiltrated the peninsula from Gaza.
The newspaper also reported that the Egyptian navy and border patrol are joining forces in the Suez region in order to crack down on terror activity there and secure the region. The army has also reinforced its presence at Cairo International Airport to counter militant threats.
Over the past 10 days, at least eight security officers have been killed by militants, the most recent on Friday.
Two Christians have also died, one of them a priest. A gas pipeline to Jordan was bombed, ending a lull in such strikes.
In the past 24 hours, the army also reported the discovery of an illegal underground network of pipes, pumps and gas tanks extending from the Sinai into the Gaza Strip.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.