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| Egypt: Sinai 'car bomb' kills at least 26 soldiers | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A suspected jihadist car bomb attack has killed at least 26 Egyptian soldiers at a checkpoint in Sinai, officials say. | |
| The attack took place near El Arish, the main town in the north of the restive peninsula. | The attack took place near El Arish, the main town in the north of the restive peninsula. |
| It is one of the deadliest attacks in Sinai for months, with reports of scores injured. | It is one of the deadliest attacks in Sinai for months, with reports of scores injured. |
| The army has been fighting a campaign against Sinai-based militants, who have carried out a string of attacks there. | The army has been fighting a campaign against Sinai-based militants, who have carried out a string of attacks there. |
| The area has become increasingly lawless since President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in 2011. | The area has become increasingly lawless since President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in 2011. |
| Militants further stepped up their attacks after Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was ousted by the army last year. | Militants further stepped up their attacks after Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was ousted by the army last year. |
| Security forces have been carrying out an offensive in northern Sinai, killing and capturing dozens of suspected members of jihadist groups. | Security forces have been carrying out an offensive in northern Sinai, killing and capturing dozens of suspected members of jihadist groups. |
| "Most of the wounded have been seriously injured and not all of them have been taken to hospital yet," health ministry official Tareq Khater told the AFP news agency. | "Most of the wounded have been seriously injured and not all of them have been taken to hospital yet," health ministry official Tareq Khater told the AFP news agency. |
| Sources told the Reuters news agency that the attack targeted two armoured vehicles which stopped at a checkpoint near an army installation. | Sources told the Reuters news agency that the attack targeted two armoured vehicles which stopped at a checkpoint near an army installation. |
| Security officials gave differing accounts, Reuters reports, with one Sinai official saying the attack was not a car bomb but was instead a rocket-propelled grenade. | Security officials gave differing accounts, Reuters reports, with one Sinai official saying the attack was not a car bomb but was instead a rocket-propelled grenade. |
| President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi convened the National Defence Council for an emergency meeting in response to what his office called "a terrorist attack". | President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi convened the National Defence Council for an emergency meeting in response to what his office called "a terrorist attack". |
| Another attack was reported, also at a checkpoint near El Arish. Three more members of the security forces are reported to have been shot dead. | Another attack was reported, also at a checkpoint near El Arish. Three more members of the security forces are reported to have been shot dead. |
| Islamic State | Islamic State |
| In September at least 11 policemen were killed in a bomb attack on a convoy in the peninsula as it travelled through the village of Wefaq, near the Gaza border. | In September at least 11 policemen were killed in a bomb attack on a convoy in the peninsula as it travelled through the village of Wefaq, near the Gaza border. |
| That bombing was claimed by Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, the most active militant group in Egypt. It attempted to kill the interior minister in Cairo in 2013 in a car bomb attack and has issued videos of the beheading of captives. | That bombing was claimed by Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, the most active militant group in Egypt. It attempted to kill the interior minister in Cairo in 2013 in a car bomb attack and has issued videos of the beheading of captives. |
| The group professes backing for Islamic State (IS) group jihadists in Iraq and Syria, although it has not formally pledged its support. | The group professes backing for Islamic State (IS) group jihadists in Iraq and Syria, although it has not formally pledged its support. |