Members of Parliament (MPs) for North Sinai governorate criticized the Interior Ministry's statement announcing the killing of 10 militants in clashes with the security forces.
The MPs said that 6 out of the 10 militants announced dead had been detained for the past three months by the security apparatus, which rules out that they could've been engaged in the recent terrorist attacks in Arish city.
North Sinai tribal chiefs held a meeting on Saturday and objected to the Ministry's statement. They called on MPs for North Sinai to resign in protest.
The MP for Arish Hassan al-Refaei said he agrees with the demand of the tribal elders that North Sinai MPs should collectively resign.
The mother of Mohamed Ibrahim, one of the 6 detained prisoners mentioned as dead in clashes in the statement, said her son was arrested three months ago in a crackdown by the police as he was suspected of being involved in crimes.
The neighbors of Belal al-Naggar, who was included in the statement as well, said the police raided his house in Arish three months ago and arrested him along with his father. Naggar remained in custody while the father was released, they added.
A security source defended the Interior Ministry, meanwhile, against suspicions raised about the inaccurate information and investigations saying that all crackdowns conducted by the police are in accordance with the law and with permissions issued by prosecutors.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
