Egypt: Militants attack army base in Sinai April 14

Event

Military officials confirmed that suspected Islamic State (IS) militants assaulted a base in central Sinai on Saturday, April 14. According to officials, 14 attackers armed with explosive belts, automatic rifles, and rocket propelled grenades (RPGS) attempted to infiltrate the military base in the early morning hours (local time). Egyptian soldiers successfully repelled the attack, killing the 14 militants. At least eight soldiers also died during the fighting. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The assault came hours after the government announced that the current state of emergency will be extended for another three months. According to official news sources, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued the decree on Saturday to allow security forces to “take necessary measures confront the dangers and funding of terrorism and safeguard security in all parts of the country.”

Context

Security forces are currently conducting a significant counterterrorism operation in the region. 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. 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.