EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) - Suspected militants on Monday ambushed a police convoy in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, killing five policemen and wounding three others, including a police brigadier-general, according to security and military officials.

The police and military officials said the attack began with the detonation of roadside bombs that destroyed and set ablaze three armored vehicles and a fourth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The gunmen later opened fire with machine guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.

The attack took place about 30 kilometers (20 miles) west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicenter of a long-running insurgency by militants now led by the extremist Islamic State group.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. </s> Egyptian officials say suspected militants have ambushed a police convoy in the Sinai Peninsula, killing two policemen and wounding two others, including a police brigadier-general.

The police and military officials say the Monday attack began with the detonation of roadside bombs that destroyed and set ablaze three armored vehicles and a fourth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The suspected militants later opened fire with machine guns.

The attack took place about 30 kilometers (20 miles) west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicenter of a long-running insurgency by militants now led by the extremist Islamic State group.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. </s> ISIS militants kill 18 police in attack on convoy in Egypt’s Sinai

EL-ARISH, Egypt — Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants ambushed a police convoy in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on Monday, killing 18 police and wounding seven others in one of the deadliest attacks this year in the restive region bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Police and military officials said roadside bombs destroyed and set ablaze four armored vehicles and a fifth carrying signal-jamming equipment meant to neutralize roadside bombs that are remotely detonated. The gunmen later opened fire with machine guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.

Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier general, according to the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.

ISIS, which is spearheading an insurgency centered in northern Sinai, claimed responsibility for the attack on its Amaq news agency. – READ MORE </s> EL-ARISH, Egypt — The Latest on an attack on a police convoy in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula (all times local):

The U.S. State Department has said it strongly condemns the attack on a police convoy in the Sinai Peninsula that killed 18 policemen.

The United States, said spokesperson Heather Nauert, would “continue to stand with Egypt as it confronts the threat from terrorism.”

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the ambush.

The northern part of Egypt’s Sinai peninsula has been the epicenter of a long-running insurgency by militants now led by a local affiliate of the extremist Islamic State group.

Egypt’s Interior Ministry, which oversees the police, has issued a statement confirming that militants in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula have ambushed a police convoy, but its account of the incident provided no details on casualty figures or how many vehicles were destroyed.

Egyptian officials say Monday’s ambush left 18 police dead and seven wounded. Four armoured vehicles and a fifth carrying signal-jamming equipment were destroyed while a police pickup truck was commandeered, they said.

The ministry statement said police travelling in the convoy fired at a car that rushed toward them, causing it to blow up and damage several of the convoy’s vehicles. That was followed by an exchange of gunfire with “terrorist elements” hiding in the desert on both sides of the road, according to the statement.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the ambush of a police convoy in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula that Egyptian officials said killed 18 police and wounded seven.

The claim of responsibility for Monday’s attack was carried by the extremist group’s Aamaq news agency.

Egyptian police and military officials said the attack began with roadside bombs that destroyed and set ablaze four armoured vehicles and a fifth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The gunmen later opened fire with machine-guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.

It was the deadliest attack in the northern Sinai in months.

Egyptian officials say the death toll from an attack on a police convoy in the Sinai Peninsula has risen to 18, making it one of the deadliest attacks in the restive area in months.

The police and military officials say Monday’s attack began with the detonation of roadside bombs that destroyed and set ablaze four armoured vehicles and a fifth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The gunmen later opened fire with machine-guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.

Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier general.

The attack took place about 30 kilometres (nearly 19 miles) west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicenter of a long-running insurgency by militants now led by the extremist Islamic State group.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Egyptian officials say suspected militants have ambushed a police convoy in the Sinai Peninsula, killing two policemen and wounding two others, including a police brigadier-general.

The police and military officials say the Monday attack began with the detonation of roadside bombs that destroyed and set ablaze three armoured vehicles and a fourth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The suspected militants later opened fire with machine-guns.

The attack took place about 30 kilometres (20 miles) west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicenter of a long-running insurgency by militants now led by the extremist Islamic State group.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. </s> Militants have ambushed a police convoy in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, killing 18 people and wounding seven others, according to officials.

It is the deadliest attack in the turbulent region in months.

The attack began with the detonation of roadside bombs that destroyed and set ablaze four armoured vehicles and a fifth one carrying signal-jamming equipment, police and military officials said.

The gunmen later opened fire with machine guns and commandeered a police pick-up truck.

Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier general.

The attack took place about 30 kilometres (nearly 19 miles) west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicentre of a long-running insurgency now led by the extremist Islamic State group.

The officials had earlier put the death toll at five and said the convoy included three armoured vehicles.

Monday’s attack was the deadliest against security forces since July, when IS militants attacked a remote army outpost in the border town of Rafah, killing 23 soldiers.

That was the deadliest attack in two years.

In March, the military said militants killed 10 soldiers during an army raid in Sinai’s central region.

Egypt has battled militants in Sinai for years, but the insurgency became far more deadly after the 2013 military ousting of Mohammed Morsi, an elected Islamist president.

In recent years there has also been a wave of attacks, mainly targeting security forces, blamed on a splinter faction of Mr Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood group.

Monday’s attack came a day after authorities said they had busted a militant cell planning attacks in Cairo.

Police said they killed 10 militants in two simultaneous raids on apartments in a densely populated Cairo neighbourhood.

They said the militants sneaked into the capital from northern Sinai. </s> Islamic State militants have ambushed a police convoy in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, killing 18 police and wounding seven others.

It is one of the deadliest attacks this year in the restive region bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Roadside bombs destroyed and set ablaze four armoured vehicles and a fifth one carrying signal-jamming equipment, police and military officials said.

The gunmen later opened fire with machine guns and commandeered a police pick-up truck.

Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier general.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack in a brief item carried by its Aamaq news agency.

The attack took place about 30 kilometres (nearly 19 miles) west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicentre of a long-running insurgency now led by an IS affiliate.

Monday's attack was the deadliest against security forces since July, when IS militants attacked a remote army outpost in the border town of Rafah, killing 23 soldiers.

That was the deadliest attack in two years.

In March, the military said militants killed 10 soldiers during an army raid in Sinai's central region.

Egypt has battled militants in Sinai for years but the insurgency became far more deadly after the 2013 military ousting of Mohammed Morsi, an elected Islamist president.

In recent years there has also been a wave of attacks, mainly targeting security forces, blamed on splinter factions of Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group.

Monday's attack came a day after authorities said they had busted a militant cell planning attacks in Cairo.

Police said they killed 10 militants in two simultaneous raids on apartments in a densely populated Cairo neighbourhood.

They said the militants sneaked into the capital from northern Sinai, but did not say whether they were members of IS. </s> CAIRO (Reuters) - Seven Egyptian police officers and four militants were killed in a clash in the north of the Sinai Peninsula, the interior ministry said on Wednesday.

The clash took place late on Tuesday when militants attacked forces stationed southwest of the city of Arish, the ministry said in a statement.

Islamic State claimed the attack, saying it had carried out simultaneous raids on military positions in Arish, according to a statement carried on the group’s Amaq news agency.

Security sources said the militants had used more than 10 four-wheel vehicles in coordinated attacks at four sites.

Egyptian security forces have been battling Islamist militants in the Sinai Peninsula for years and launched a counter-insurgency campaign in the area in February 2018.

Earlier this month militants attacked a checkpoint in North Sinai, an assault that left eight security personnel dead according to the interior ministry. </s> EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) — Militants ambushed a police convoy in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on Monday, killing 18 police and wounding seven others, according to security and military officials, in one of the deadliest attacks this year in the turbulent region.

The police and military officials said the attack began with roadside bombs that destroyed and set ablaze four armored vehicles and a fifth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The gunmen later opened fire with machine guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.

Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier general.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State.

The attack took place about 30 kilometers (nearly 19 miles) west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicenter of a long-running insurgency now led by the extremist Islamic State group.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.

Monday’s attack was the deadliest against security forces since July, when Islamic State militants attacked a remote army outpost in the border town of Rafah, killing 23 soldiers. That was the deadliest attacks in two years.

In March, the military said militants killed 10 soldiers during an army raid in Sinai’s central region.

Egypt has battled militants in Sinai for years, but the insurgency became far more deadly after the 2013 military ouster of Mohammed Morsi, an elected Islamist president. In recent years there has also been a wave of attacks, mainly targeting security forces, blamed on a splinter faction of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood group.

Monday’s attack came a day after authorities said they had busted a militant cell planning attacks in Cairo. Police said they killed 10 militants in two simultaneous raids on apartments in a densely populated Cairo neighborhood. They said the militants sneaked into the capital from northern Sinai.

Hendawi reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Samy Magdy contributed to this report. </s> Seven police officers have been killed in a militant attack in restive northern Sinai Peninsula, Egypt's Interior Ministry said Wednesday.

The attack near the regional capital El-Arish targeted an "assembly center" for police, according to the ministry.

Northern Sinai has long been a center of insurgents and Egyptian authorities last year launched an offensive against the militants.

Egypt's government has been battling militants centered in northern Sinai. The insurgency intensified after the military in 2013 ousted Egypt's first and only democratically elected President Mohammed Morsi, who died last week in a courtroom.
Militants ambush a police convoy in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula killing 18 police and wounding seven others.