12 takfiri elements killed in air strike, 3 arrested

CAIRO – 20 June 2017: Twelve “takfiri elements” were killed and four vehicles destroyed in an airstrike targeting Ansar Beit al-Maqdis leaders in North Sinai, the Egyptian army said in a Tuesday statement.

Another statement earlier on Tuesday by army spokesman Tamer al-Refaey said three “takfiri criminals” and three vehicles loaded with explosives and materials used to manufacture bombs and improvised explosive devices (IED) were stopped by the Third Field Army in central Sinai.

According to the statement, the operation was part of the armed forces’ ongoing efforts to eliminate the terrorist activities of takfiri elements using the Sinai Peninsula as a base for their operations. A ‘takfiri’ is a Muslim who accuses another Muslim, or a follower of Judaism or Christianity, of apostasy.

A Monday statement said the Third Field Army, which is responsible for North Sinai, killed three takfiri elements and arrested another 23.

Since the beginning of June, the army has killed 18 takfiri elements and arrested seven, in addition to arresting another 61 suspected of being jihadist or takfiri elements. They have also destroyed 34 vehicles belonging to militants and confiscated 17 motorcycles and three other vehicles.