4 terrorists, 7 policemen killed in Sinai attack

A police officer and six conscripts were killed while confronting a terrorist attack at a centralized police ambush area in southeastern Arish, North Sinai, according to a statement by the Interior Ministry on Wednesday.

Four of the terror elements were killed after an explosive belt, attached to one of them, went off. Police forces found explosive belts, machinery weapons and grenades in possession of the terror elements.

A police hunt was launched after the rest of the terrorists involved in the attack, and High State Security Prosecution kicked off investigations into the incident.

Egypt has raised the death toll from the previous night’s attack in a restive northern part of Sinai, saying seven policemen were killed, including an officer.

A local affiliate of the Islamic State group on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Interior Ministry says an officer was among the seven killed.

Previously, security officials said the militants attacked three police checkpoints in the coastal city of al-Arish late on Tuesday.

They also said eight policemen were wounded and that four militants were killed, including a suicide bomber after his explosives were set off. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

Egypt has been battling Islamic militants in northern Sinai for years, including the country’s IS affiliate that is based there.