Egypt: Military operation in Sinai continues February 15 /update 3

Event

The Egyptian army announced on Thursday, February 15, that security forces had killed 53 suspected militants and arrested 60 others amid an ongoing operation in the Sinai Peninsula, the Nile Delta, and the Western Desert which began on February 9. Furthermore, at least 378 hideouts and caches containing arms and ammunition were discovered. Over 1000 kg (2205 lbs) of explosive material were destroyed.

Several hundred police agents and soldiers continue to patrol the abovementioned areas, while at least 100 airstrikes have been reported in the central and northern regions of the Sinai; additional security force raids on suspected militant positions are likely in the coming days.

Context

The "Sinai 2018" operation aims to eradicate suspected militant and criminal cells in the Sinai Peninsula, the Nile Delta, and the Western Desert, as well as reinforce state control along the country's borders. The Egyptian police and the army have been placed on maximum alert in these regions for the duration of the operation.

The Sinai Peninsula has been the epicenter of frequent attacks by Islamic State (IS)-affiliated militants since 2013 - usually targeting security forces or minority Coptic Christians. In November 2017 Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi ordered the Egyptian military to stabilize the area within the three months, telling security forces to use "all brute force necessary." Previously, Al-Sisi had warned that the risk of terrorism had increased in Egypt as IS suffered major territorial losses in Iraq and Syria, pushing many of its militants to travel to Egypt. Such groups also operate on a smaller scale outside the peninsula.

Egypt remains under a state of emergency, originally declared following IS attacks on churches in Alexandria and Tanta that killed some 50 people on Palm Sunday in April 2017.

Advice

In general, due to the prevailing threat of terrorism, individuals throughout Egypt should report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and always be on guard when visiting sites deemed particularly vulnerable to an attack (e.g. public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.). Some governments advise their nationals against all travel to the Sinai Peninsula due to the persistent terrorist threat.