Senior Egyptian police commander killed in Sinai

Militants have shot and killed a senior Egyptian police commander in El-Arish city, Sinai, the interior ministry announced.

The ministry said in a statement that Brigadier General Ahmed Mohammed Abdul Sattar Askar was killed late on Saturday when militants opened fire on him outside his residence.

It added that security forces have cordoned off the area in an attempt to capture the perpetrators and that the Public Prosecutor has been informed to initiate investigations.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian army’s spokesman announced on Saturday evening the killing 74 “terrorist elements” and the arrest of 52 others during an exchange of fire in different parts of the north-east of Sinai.

Several extremist organisations including the Ansar Bait Al-Maqdis, which is aligned with Daesh, are active in the Sinai Peninsula.

The Egyptian security forces have come under intense attacks in recent months in several provinces especially in the Sinai Peninsula and the nearby Suez province led to the killing of dozens of army and police personnel.