Egypt forces kill Daesh leader, 15 militants in Sinai Peninsula

The Daesh Takfiri terrorist group has announced the death of one of its leaders in Egypt's restive Sinai Peninsula, where security forces also shot dead 15 militants in a separate encounter.

The terrorist group said in a recent message on Telegram that the Egyptian army killed Abu Hamza al-Maqdisi in an air raid. Maqdisi had been in charge of planning and training for the terrorist group in Sinai.

An unnamed Egyptian security source also confirmed that the top militant had been killed on Monday at Sheikh Zuweid in North Sinai province.

"Abu Hamza al-Maqdisi is one of the Daesh operatives who took part in their operations against the army," AFP quoted the source as saying.

Elsewhere in North Sinai, a separate security source said on Wednesday that police killed 15 militants during a raid in the provincial capital El-Arish. The "terrorist elements" were killed in an exchange of fire at a farm.

According to official figures, around 300 suspected militants and at least 35 soldiers have been killed since the February launch of the "Sinai 2018" operation.

SS