Islamic militants early on Wednesday attacked several military checkpoints and a police station in Egypt's Northern Sinai province, killing at least 30 soldiers, security officials said.
The simultaneous terrorist attacks in the Sinai province come two days after the assassination of country's top public prosecutor, Hisham Barakat, in Cairo, reported the Associated Press.
The militants detonated a car bomb outside the police station in the town of Skeikh Zuweid in North Sinai province, reported the BBC. The armed assailants attacked at least six military checkpoints in the town with mortar shells and heavy weaponry.
"At least 70 militants simultaneously fired mortar rounds and used a car bomb in separate attacks on five checkpoints in the town of Sheikh Zuweid," Brigadier-General Mohamed Samir said in a statement, according to Ahram Online. The Egyptian armed forces, however, reported ten causalities so far.
"Egyptian armed forces fired back at the attackers, killing at least 22 militants and destroying three 4X4 vehicles armed with anti-craft missiles," he added. He also noted that clashes between army and militants remain ongoing.
The attackers are likely associated with Ansar Bait Al-Maqdis, a Sinai-based group that pledged allegiance to Islamic State last year, Egyptian Streets reported.
