Egypt: Seven dead in Sinai checkpoint bombing Sep. 13

Event

Two soldiers and five militants were killed early on Wednesday, September 13, after a suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt at a military checkpoint near the town of Rafah. Reports say a shootout followed the explosion. Authorities have not yet identified the group responsible, however the Islamic State-Sinai Province (IS-SP) is likely to blame.

Context

Egypt is struggling to combat an insurgency by Islamic State (IS)'s local branch, Islamic State Sinai Province (IS-SP), in the restive Sinai Peninsula, where hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed since 2013. Northeastern Sinai, which borders Israel and the Gaza Strip, has been particularly volatile. Egypt has been under a nationwide state of emergency since April 2017, when IS militants carried out attacks on two churches in Tanta and Alexandria, leaving over 50 people dead.

Advice

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 (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 northern Sinai, where the authorities maintain a media blackout and special security zones due to the persistent terrorist threat.