Egypt: IS claims checkpoint attack

The Islamic state group (IS) Friday claimed credit for the check point attack that killed 12 soldiers in the restive province of North Sinai.
“A number of caliphate soldiers attacked a checkpoint belonging to the apostate Egyptian army in the Sabeel village, southwest of Arish city, and the following clashes using light and medium weapons were able to kill 15 of the checkpoint’s elements,” the militant group said.
A group of heavily armed men and a suicide car bomb attacked November 24 a military check-point manned some 30 soldiers. The early death toll was put at 8 by Egyptian authorities but the figure was later increased to 11 by another official who spoke under condition of anonymity.
Another medical source according to Reuters claimed that four more bodies were found the following day of the attack, putting the figure at 12.
12 other soldiers have been reported wounded in the attack. One soldier has been also reported missing.
Egyptian security forces have been facing insurgency form terrorist group since 2013 – the year current president al-Sisi deposed democratically elected Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
The insurgency has caused loss of around 500 troops. Egyptian authorities claimed they have been able to eliminate more than 1,000 Islamists.