Rafah–Clashes broke out on Saturday between Egyptian security forces and approximately 20 armed men in Central Sinai after police raided a number of local villages in search of wanted fugitives. No casualties were reported.
One day earlier, a security campaign involving 40 armored vehicles cordoned off the Central Sinai villages of El-Barth, Wadi el–Omr, Omm Shihan and Omm Qatf. The campaign targeted gunmen that had allegedly attacked security forces and vehicles en route to the sensitive Al-Auja border crossing between Egypt and Israel on 21 June.
In that attack, tribesmen had opened fire on ten armored security vehicles waiting at the crossing before fleeing into the mountains, according to security sources. Two tribesmen were injured in the melee.
Security forces had reportedly been looking for Bedouin fugitive Salem Lafi, who escaped from police two months ago after the prisoners’ truck in which he was being transported came under attack by unidentified gunmen. One police officer was killed in that attack and six others wounded.
A security source told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the latest campaign had partially withdrawn on Friday, but that this had been followed by a renewed assault by police–supported by reinforcements–on areas close to the villages in which armed men were thought to be holed up.
The same source added that the police campaign would continue until it had achieved its objectives.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
