The armed forces raided villages south the city of Rafah, and villages east the city of Arish, as part of its continuing operations in Sinai to combat terrorism.
The raid resulted in the burning of eight cars and 20 straw houses, and the destruction of 10 houses in these villages, said a security source.
This came after a bomb exploded in the town of Rafah on Sunday afternoon, wounding three people.
The raids have resulted in the arrest of a large number of men in the last period in addition to the many deaths of what the military has called “dangerous elements.” North Sinai Governorate has been witnessing tight security measures and widespread of intense security checkpoints.
Many North Sinai residents claim they are randomly targeted and that many of those the military has rounded up are innocent. Residents also say that the armed forces punish whole villages when they suspect it is harboring one terrorist. Ibrahim Menai, the Head of the Sinai Tribes Union, has called the military operations in Sinai a “scorthed earth” campaign.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
