53 Islamist militants killed in week-long offensive: Egypt military

Egypt's military and police forces have killed 53 Islamist militants and arrested 680 suspects in a week-long offensive to crush insurgents that are focused on the Sinai Peninsula. The security operation, involving the army, navy, air force and police, began last Friday in the north and central Sinai, parts of the Nile delta and the western desert. 

Colonel Tamer al-Rifai told a news conference broadcast on state television



yesterday that forces have destroyed over 1,000 kg of explosives, 378 militant hideouts and weapon storage facilities including a media centre used by the militants. 

He added that 680 people, some of them suspected militants or wanted criminals, were also detained in the operation.Major General Yasser Abdel Aziz of the Military Operations Authority said the operation would end when Sinai was free of terrorists.