Egypt: Militants killed in Sinai; vehicles destroyed on Libyan border

Event

According to a statement released by the Egyptian army on Sunday, July 16, security forces killed nine suspected extremist militants in two separate incidents in the Sinai peninsula. Additionally, the Egyptian air force destroyed 15 vehicles carrying weapons and ammunition from neighboring Libya, attempting to cross the border over the weekend.

Context

Egypt faces an Islamic State (IS) insurgency in the restive Sinai Peninsula, where hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed since 2013. Northeastern Sinai has been a particularly volatile area in the region, on the border with Israel and the Gaza Strip. Egypt has been under a nationwide state of emergency since April 2017, when IS militants carried out attacks on two churches in Tanta and Alexandria, leaving over 50 people dead.

The Egyptian army has stepped up its operations on the Libyan border, out of fears armed fighters will enter the country to commit attacks. Since Muammar Gaddafi's fall in 2011, the security situation in Libya remains precarious. With three competing would-be governments, there is little to no sign of a return of relative stability in the near-term.

Advice

The security environment in Egypt remains complex. Although travel is permissible in some areas, other areas should be considered strictly off limits. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel.