59 militants killed in Sinai peninsula as Egypt steps up offensive

Egyptian security forces have killed 59 militants in the Sinai peninsula recently and have lost seven of their own men, the military said in a statement on Tuesday. The figures covered the "last period", the military said without specifying dates or locations of operations. It did not give the identity of suspects or their affiliation.

One "preemptive" police strike resulted in the death of 15 militants and 44 more were killed in other operations, the statement said. Hundreds of weapons, explosive devices and vehicles were seized or destroyed. Egypt's military says several hundred militants have been killed since it launched a major campaign in February 2018 focused on defeating militants linked to Islamic State in Sinai.