Mortar fire kills 2 in Egypt’s Sinai

By Khaled al-Joushi

CAIRO (AA) – Two Egyptian civilians were killed late Sunday when a mortar shell struck their home in the restive Sinai Peninsula, according to a local security source.

“The shell hit the house near a security checkpoint in North Sinai’s Sheikh Zuweid city,” the source told Anadolu Agency.

Two people were killed and another civilian was injured in the attack, the source added anonymously due to restrictions on speaking to media.

Egyptian authorities have yet to comment on the attack, for which no group has claimed responsibility.

On Saturday, the Egyptian army said its forces had killed 28 militants in North Sinai.

Since Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first freely-elected president, was ousted in a military coup in 2013, Egyptian security forces have waged a fierce campaign in Sinai against what they describe as "terrorist groups".

The campaign, which involves police and army forces, has been accompanied by frequent attacks on security personnel deployed in the restive peninsula.

Authorities say they are battling the Welayat Sinai (Province of Sinai) group, which is said to have sworn allegiance to the Daesh terrorist organization.