Egypt: Some Tanks Leave Sinai Peninsula
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Version 0 of 1. Egypt on Wednesday withdrew some of the tanks it had deployed near the Israeli and Gaza borders as part of a military operation against militants in the Sinai Peninsula. The tank deployment this month had brought complaints from Israel because the peace treaty between the countries requires that the entry of the tanks into a zone along the border be coordinated with Israel. Israel had quietly agreed to Egypt’s sending thousands of troops into the area — also barred under the treaty — to fight militants, but it had not consented to the tanks. Nearly a dozen tanks were seen heading out of northern Sinai on Wednesday afternoon, leaving nearly 40 tanks in the border zone. Military officials gave no reason for the pullback. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the deployment. |