The Salafi Group in North Sinai has denied any connection to the recent attacks in Arish that left five dead and 20 injured, including civilians, police and military forces.
At a press conference in Arish on Tuesday, the group said it rejects violence and prefers dialogue.
Mostafa Azzam, an activist with the group, said the march organized by the group in Arish last Friday was entirely peaceful. He stressed that none of the protesters carried any weapons, noting that the purpose of the rally was to call for fulfilling the demands of the 25 January revolution.
Ammar Saleh Gouda, another member of the group, claimed that it was the Salafis who protected the revolutionaries against assaults by thugs during the revolution.
Meanwhile, Hussein al-Qayem, another activist from the group, said the goal for Salafis is to achieve stability and security, and end oppression. He added that Sinai residents accept these objectives.
In a statement commenting on the police station attack in Arish, the group emphasized that no innocent Muslim should ever be killed, regardless of the reason.
