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ISIS has claimed responsibility for two attacks which recently targeted the Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF) and pro-government tribal forces in the central region of the Sinai Peninsula.
The terrorist group said via its news agency, Amaq, that its cells attacked a unit of tribal forces that was taking part in an EAF combing operation in the area of al-Maghara with an improvised explosive device (IED) on August 28. Amaq claimed that three tribal fighters were killed and five others were wounded as a result of the attack.
A day later, on August 29, ISIS cells attacked an armored vehicle of the EAF in al-Maghara, also using an IED. According to Amaq, everyone who was aboard the vehicle was killed or wounded.
ISIS’s remaining cells in Sinai stepped up their operations against the EAF and tribal forces in the last few months. The terrorists ISIS have been relying on IED attacks as a low-cost, low-risk tactic to inflict some serious losses on their enemies.
While ISIS operations were previously concentrated in the northeastern region of Sinai, the last few months witnessed several attacks by the terrorist group in the peninsula’s central and western regions.
The Egyptian military, security services and tribal forces conduct operations against ISIS cells in Sinai on a regular basis. However, more time and efforts are needed to fully end the terrorist group presence in the peninsula.