The Egyptian Armed Forces' media spokesperson announced Saturday that the “Third Field Army” found a weapons storage space belonging to “terrorist cells” in Northern Sinai.
According to the military's statement, a total weight of 1.5 tons of bombs and 32 types of blast material was seized in the storage space in the Um Haseera mountain of Sinai.
The armed forces found 2465 high inch calibers, 92 1.5 mm calibers and two thousand liters of gasoline, among other armaments, the statement added.
In reference to the incident, the military spokesperson said that the seized weapons have been handed to “competent bodies” that will proceed with the legal procedures.
Egypt is battling an insurgency in North Sinai that peaked following the military ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.
The Egyptian army undertook the first phase of a security operation in Northern Sinai last September. "The right of the martyr" operation lasted for 16 days and the army announced that it will begin the second phase.
Last October, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared a state of emergency and a curfew in the border governorate last October, in reaction to a militant attack which left over 30 security personnel killed.
Sisi extended the state of emergency in place in parts of North Sinai for three months again last April.
Aswat Masriya could not independently verify the content of the army statement. Anti-terrorism legislation imposes heavy fines on news organizations that contradict official statements.
