Four Egyptian soldiers killed in Sinai bombing

Islamic State loyalists claim responsibility; blast comes days after seven soldiers die in attack on checkpoint

CAIRO, Egypt — Four Egyptian soldiers where killed by a roadside bomb on Thursday in the Sinai Peninsula, where the army is battling an Islamist insurgency, the military said.

The Islamic State group’s affiliate in Egypt claimed responsibility for the bombing, in a statement posted on one of its Twitter accounts.

One officer and three soldiers died in the attack on their vehicle near the border town of Rafah, a military spokesman said on his Facebook page.

The attack came a few days after seven soldiers died in a jihadist attack on a checkpoint.

Militants loyal to the Islamic State group have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the army overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.