Sinai terror attacks

Sinai terror attacks (2011–present)
	Part of the Terrorism in Egypt (2013–present), the Egyptian Crisis aftermath, the Arab Winter, and Terrorism in Egypt
	; Map of the Sinai Peninsula.; (For a more detailed map of the current military situation in Sinai, see here.)
Date	5 February 2011[1] – present ; (9 years, 6 months, 1 week and 3 days)
Location	Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Status	Ongoing
Belligerents
Egypt Egyptian Army; Central Security Forces; Egyptian Ministry of the Interior National Security Service; National Police; ; Israel[2] Israeli Air Force; Israeli Intelligence Community[3]; ; United Arab Emirates[4] United Arab Emirates Armed Forces;	Islamists: Ansar Bait al-Maqdis[5] (until late 2014); Al-Qaeda Tawhid al-Jihad[6]; Al-Qaeda in Sinai Peninsula[7] (from late 2011); Abdullah Azzam Brigades[8]; Ansar al-Sharia[9]; ; Hasm Movement[10]; Bedouin tribesmen[11]; Jund al-Islam[12]; Popular Resistance Movement[13]; Takfir wal-Hijra[14]; Army of Islam[15]; Al Furqan Brigades[16]; Soldiers of Egypt[17]; Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[18] (from 2014) Wilayat Sinai; Mujahideen Shura Council[19];
Commanders and leaders
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ; (2014–present); Mahmoud Tawfik ; (2018–present); Magdy Abdel Ghaffar ; (2015–18); Mohamed Ibrahim Moustafa ; (2013–15); Ahmed el-Mansy ; (2016–17); Ahmed Gamal El Din ; (2012–13); Mohamed Youssef Ibrahim ; (2011–12); Mansour el-Essawy ; (until November 2011); Mahmoud Wagdy ; (until March 2011); Mohamed Ahmed Zaki ; (2018–present); Sedki Sobhi ; (2014–18); Mohammed el-Shahat ; (2011–present); Osama Askar ; (2011–present); Ahmed Wasfi ; (2012–14); Hussein Tantawi ; (2011–12); Sami Anan ; (2011–12); Benjamin Netanyahu; Benny Gantz; Gadi Eizenkot; Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan	Muhammad al-Zawahiri (POW)[20]; Abd El-Fattah Salem (POW)[14]; Fayez Abu-Sheta †[21]; Youssif Abo-Ayat †[22]; Saed Abo-Farih †[22] Abu Osama al-Masri †(ISIL Emir of Wilayat Sinai)[23]; Shadi el-Manaei; Selim Suleiman Al-Haram †[24][25]
Strength
Total: 25,000 (41 battalions)[26]	Total: ≈12,000[27] ISIL: 1,000–1,500
Casualties and losses
1,030–2,030+ killed; [28][29][30]	3,050–3,550+ killed; [28][31][30]
	Civilian fatalities: 1,539+ Egyptian,[32][33] 219 Russians, 4 Ukrainians, 1 Belarusian,[34] 3 South Koreans,[35] 3 Vietnamese, 2 Germans,[36] 1 Croatian[37]; IDF: 1 killed[38]; Total: 5,853–7,353+ killed

The Sinai terror attacks are continuous terrorist attacks in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, commenced by Islamist militants against the Egyptian security forces, which has included attacks on civilians.[39] The insurgency began after the start of the Egyptian Crisis, which saw the overthrow of longtime Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in the Egyptian revolution of 2011.[40]

The Sinai insurgency initially consisted of militants, largely composed of local Bedouin tribesmen, who exploited the chaotic situation in Egypt and weakened central authority to launch a series of attacks on government forces in Sinai. In 2014, elements of the Ansar Bait al-Maqdis group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and proclaimed themselves Sinai Province, and a part of ISIL. Security officials say militants based in Libya have established ties with the Sinai Province group[41] and have blamed the porous border and ongoing civil war for the increase in sophisticated weapons available to the Islamist groups.[42]

The Egyptian authorities have attempted to restore their presence in the Sinai through both political and military measures.[43] Egypt launched two military operations, known as Operation Eagle in mid-2011 and then Operation Sinai in mid-2012. In May 2013, following an abduction of Egyptian officers, violence in the Sinai surged once again. Following the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état, which resulted in the ousting of Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, "unprecedented clashes" have occurred.[44]

The fallout suffered by the locals as a result of the insurgency in Sinai ranges from militant operations and the state of insecurity to extensive military operations and the demolishing of hundreds of homes and evacuating thousands of residents as Egyptian troops pressed on to build a buffer zone meant to halt the smuggling of weapons and militants from and to the Gaza strip. A report, compiled by a delegation from the state-funded National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), stated that most of the displaced families share the same grievances of palpable government negligence, unavailability of nearby schools for their sons and the lack of health services.[45] Since the start of the conflict, dozens of civilians were killed either in military operations or kidnapped and then beheaded by militants. In November 2017, more than 300 Sufist worshippers were killed and over 100 injured in a terrorist attack on a mosque west of the city of Al-Arish.[39]

In his first meeting with a Middle East nation since his confirmation as defense secretary, Mark Esper met with Egypt's Minister of Defense Mohammad Zaki and pressed him to use counterinsurgency-style tactics in the effort in the Sinai Peninsula. His Deputy for the Middle East Mick Mulroy said that he spoke to Minister Zaki extensively about their efforts in the Sinai and that it was clear they shared the belief in the importance of a population-centric approach to the counter-terrorism effort, even if it takes longer to be successful. Mulroy said he saw evidence of this during his visit to the Sinai where he spoke to both senior and junior military leaders. The fight in the Sinai forms part of the classified Irregular Warfare Annex to the National Defense Strategy, which calls on the Department of Defense to use foreign internal defense principles, advise and assist tactics, and influence operations.[46]

Background

Sufism was previously dominant in the region before militant jihadi ideas began to take hold.[47] The Sinai peninsula has long been known for its lawlessness, having historically served as a smuggling route for weapons and supplies. Security provisions in the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty of 1979 have institutionalized a diminished security presence in the area, enabling militants to operate with a freer hand. Moreover, the limited government-directed investment and development in Sinai has discriminated against the local Bedouin population, a population that values tribal allegiance over all else. The combination of Sinai's harsh terrain and lack of resources have kept the area poor and hence ripe for militancy.[48]

Following the January 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak's regime, the country became increasingly destabilized, creating a security vacuum in the Sinai peninsula. Radical Islamic elements in Sinai exploited the opportunity, using the unique environment, in launching several waves of attacks upon Egyptian military and commercial facilities.

According to The Economist, the conflict also involves local armed Bedouin "who have long-standing grievances against the central government in Cairo" and that "they are barred from joining the army or police; they find it hard to get jobs in tourism; and they complain that many of their lands have been taken from them".[11]

Timeline

2011–2012

Since the 2011 uprising against the Mubarak regime in Egypt, there has been increasing instability in the Sinai Peninsula. In addition the collapse of the Libyan regime increased the quantity and sophistication of weapons being smuggled into the area.[43] The situation provided local Bedouin with an opportunity to assert their authority, leading to clashes with Egyptian security forces, but the cause of violence soon transitioned to salafi jihadism. Hard-line militant Muslims used Sinai as a launch-point for attacks against Israel and turned on the Egyptian state,[43] focusing on Egypt's security establishment and the Sinai's Arab Gas Pipeline.[49]

Operation Eagle

In August 2011, Operation Eagle was launched, in an effort to restore law and order, driving Islamist insurgents and criminal gangs out of North Sinai's urban centers.[50] As well as, attempting to sever the link between militant groups in the Sinai and Gaza, by augmenting its control over the Gaza border crossing.[43]

The operation had limited success, and a week into the operation, Salafi jihadists carried out the biggest cross-border attack on Israel in the post-Mubarak period.

Operation Sinai

On 5 August 2012, an attack on the Rafah barracks shook the Egyptian military and population. Only a month into his term, President Mohamed Morsi sacked the longstanding defence minister and promoted General al Sisi to take his place. Operation Sinai was launched, aimed at eliminating armed Islamist groups, protecting the Suez Canal, and destroying the tunnel network connecting the Sinai with the Gaza Strip.[43][51] During the operation, 32 militants and suspects were killed and 38 arrested, while 2 civilians had been killed by early September 2012.[52]

2013–2014

Since the July 2013 coup, against President Mohamed Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood leader, the Egyptian military and security services in particular have been targeted by Sinai-based violent Islamist groups. In an increase in violence security forces came under near daily attack throughout July to August 2013.

In 2013, the new authorities adopted a more aggressive strategy, leading to mass arrests and hard security measures.[43] Over the few months leading to 2014, the Egyptian army gained the upper hand in the battle against militias that have found safe haven in the peninsula. After isolating and largely clearing the populated northeastern Sinai, the army put many militant factions on the defensive, most notably Ansar Bait al-Maqdis. However, one thousand armed militiamen are still sheltering in the main stronghold in Jabal Halal, as well as Jabal Amer area.[53]

In November 2014, the situation in the Sinai was thrust into the spotlight with deadliest attack on the security forces since 2011, and the group responsible Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis pledging allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) forming the Sinai Province. In the wake of the attack on the security forces, the government declared state of emergency, imposing a curfew and establish a buffer zone in the Sinai's border area with Gaza.

May

May 2013 hostage crisis

On May 2013, a number of Egyptian Army police officers were taken hostage by armed tribesmen in the Sinai peninsula, with their videos released on the internet begging for their lives. As a response, Egypt's government had built up security forces in northern Sinai as part of an effort to secure the release of six policemen and a border guard kidnapped by suspected militants. On 20–21 May, Egyptian troops and police, backed by helicopter gunships, conducted a sweep through a number of villages in northern Sinai, along the border with Israel.[54] The officials said the forces came under fire from gunmen in vehicles, triggering the clashes. The clashes left one gunman dead by 21 May.[54] The hostages were released on 22 May after talks between the captors and Bedouins.[55] One suspect in the kidnapping was arrested on 30 May 2013.[55]

July

July 2013 escalation following Morsi ousting

Since President Mohamed Morsi's ouster on 3 July by Sisi, there has been an increase in violence by armed Bedouin and Islamists.[11][44] Attacks on security forces have been witnessed almost daily since his ouster — leading many to link the militants there to the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group from which Morsi hails.[56]

In response, Egypt launched a major military operation in Sinai against the militants, bringing in two additional battalions.[57]

In the two weeks following 3 July 39 terrorist attacks occurred in North Sinai. In the resulting clashes between armed groups and security forces, 52 gunmen and civilians and six security personnel died.[58] On 15 July, witnessed the highest civilian casualties, when a bus transporting workers to the army-operated Al-Arish Cement Company was attacked. Five were killed and 15 were wounded. On 16 July, attacks resulted in some of the most intense army engagement, concentrated at Al-Masa'id, Al-Joura, and the Central Security camp at Al-Ahrash.[58]

Security operations have been largely confined to the 40-kilometre area between Al-Arish and Sheikh Zuweid, extending northward toward Rafah along the border with Israel and up to the Karam Abu Salem crossing.[58] Fighting intensifies between the gunmen and the joint army-police forces at night.[58] The frequency of attacks has varied from two to five in a single day. In addition, targets have expanded from fixed security checkpoints to mobile patrols. In most operations, the gunmen use four-wheel drive vehicles and combinations of light and heavy weaponry. However, in three recent attacks RPG-7 launchers were used, most likely smuggled from Libya. The G-7 grenade is capable of penetrating armoured vehicles and is generally fired at the doors.[58]

On 27 July, operation dubbed "Desert Storm" was launched by the Egyptian army in North Sinai Governorate and will last for 48 hours. Two of Egypt's field armies, as well as the country's Air Force and Navy are reportedly taking part in this large-scale operation. The military are said to be blocking all the roads, bridges and tunnels leading from Northern Sinai to other provinces of Egypt.[59]

A bomb was placed at a hotel frequented by security officials on 2 August 2013, though it caused no injuries.[60] A security source told the Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm that a majority of "terrorists" had been arrested as of 3 August 2013.[61] 2 mausoleums were bombed on 4 August 2013, though no injuries resulted.[62]

Twenty-five Egyptian policemen died in an attack in the northern region of Sinai, on 18 August. After militants forced two mini-buses carrying off-duty policemen to stop, ordered the policemen out and forced them to lie on the ground before shooting them.[63] The Egyptian military arrested eleven people, including five Hamas members, three local residents and three foreign nationals, for their alleged involvement in the killings.[64] The person who committed the murders confessed on 1 September 2013.[65]

Military spokesperson Ahmed Ali said that Egyptian security forces recent operations in Sinai, from 5 July to 23 August, resulted in: 78 suspected militants killed, including 32 foreigners; 116 people injured; and 203 people arrested, including 48 foreigners, for their alleged involvement in attacks on security checkpoints in the peninsula. Additionally 343 tunnels on the border between Egypt and Gaza at Rafah have been destroyed.[66][67]

September

On 3 September, fifteen Islamist militants were killed in an attack by military helicopters.[68]

On 7 September, the Egyptian army launched a new operation in the region. The operation involved tanks and at least six Apache helicopters. The army have been jamming communications to thwart militant coordination.[69] The army combed through areas near the Gaza Strip, including locations used by militants suspect in the killing and abduction of Egyptian soldiers over the past year. In the three days of operations, since 7 September, one officer, two soldiers and 29 militants were killed, and 39 militants were arrested.[70][71]

On 11 September, suicide bomber targeted Egyptian military intelligence headquarters in Rafah, bringing down the structure, at the same time a car bomb had rammed an army checkpoint. In the simultaneous attack at least nine soldiers were killed.[70]

December

On 24 December 16 were killed and over 134 injured in a huge bomb which hit the Daqahliya Security Directorate in Mansoura, in the worst attack on a government site since the ouster of Morsi in July. Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, a Sinai-based group, claimed responsibility for the attack. The group deemed Egyptian troops infidels because they answer to a "secular government", warning them to desert or face death.[72][73]

January

2014 helicopter downing

On 26 January, militants shot down an army Mi-17 helicopter in North Sinai, killing all five of its crew members. The weapon the insurgents used was an infrared-homing, surface-to-air missile from the Russian-made Igla family. This was the first time in Egyptian history that an armed nonstate actor dropped a state's military helicopter by a missile.[74] Ansar Bait al-Maqdis claimed responsibility for this attack as well as series of escalating attacks on police and soldiers.[75] Earlier that morning masked men in an SUV attacked a bus carrying soldiers in Sinai, killing at least three and injuring at least 11.[75]

February

On 3 February, in what was described as the biggest operation in the Egyptian army's ongoing offensive against militants in the Sinai, 30 suspected militants were killed and another 15 injured in a series of airstrikes and another 16 were arrested.[76]

2014 Taba bus bombing

On 16 February 2014, a bomb exploded on or under a tour bus of a South Korean church group in the Egyptian city of Taba, which borders the Gulf of Aqaba and Eilat, Israel. The bombing killed 4 people – 3 South Koreans and the Egyptian bus driver – and injured 17 others.[77] According to The New York Times, the bombing could "offer worrying new evidence that militants who have been attacking Egypt's security forces for months were broadening their campaign against civilians."[78]

October

October 2014 Sinai attacks

On 24 October 2014, 31 army and police soldiers were killed in two separate attacks in North Sinai. The attack was the largest ever since the start of the war on terror in Sinai. As a result of the attack, president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi declared a state of emergency in the governorate after meeting with the National Defence Council for several hours. The state of emergency was to last for three months and to include a daily curfew from 5 pm to 7 am until further notice.[79]

November

On 10 November 2014, Ansar Bait al-Maqdis pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) forming the Sinai Province group with a confusingly similar name to two Egyptian regional governments.[80]

On 14 November 2014, ISIL published a video online that included footage of the group carrying out the October 2014 Sinai attacks.[81]

2015

During 2015, the intensity and the scale of insurgent attacks expanded.

January

On 12 January 2015, Sinai Province kidnapped a police officer while traveling in North Sinai and took him to an unknown location. On the following day on 13 January 2015, Egyptian military spokesperson announced the discovery of the dead body of the officer after launching a search operation. He also said that during the operation 10 militants were killed, while two others were arrested.[82]

On 26 January 2015, Sinai Province published a video online that included the kidnapping and execution of the police officer kidnapped on 12 January.[83]

January 2015 Sinai attacks

On 29 January 2015, militants from the Sinai Province militant group launched a series of attacks on army and police bases in Arish using car bombs and mortars.[84] The attacks, which occurred in more than six different locations, resulted in 32 confirmed deaths including army personnel and civilians.[85]

Security response

It was reported that on 6 February 2015 Egyptian security forces attacked the Sinai Province group, killing 47 Islamic militants in Northern Sinai.[86]

March

On 10 March 2015, a suicide attack on a police barracks using a water tanker was stopped after security forces opened fire on the water tanker causing it to explode before it could get into the barracks. One civilian near the scene was killed and two others wounded in the blast, alongside dozens of wounded policemen.[87]

April

On 2 April 2015, an attack on an army checkpoint resulted in the death of 15 soldiers, 2 civilians and 15 attackers. As a response to the attack, the Egyptian army launched an operation the following day allegedly killing 100 militants.[88][89][90]

On 8 April 2015, eleven civilians were killed in Sheikh Zuweid when an unidentified rocket-propelled grenade hit their homes.[91]

On 12 April 2015, 6 soldiers were killed when their armoured vehicle was bombed in North Sinai. On the same day, a separate attack on a police station in Arish resulted in the death of 5 policemen and 1 civilian. The attack on the station was carried out by a suicide bomber using a bomb-laden vehicle. Militant group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis has claimed responsibility for the attacks.[92]

On 27 April 2015, members from Al-Tarabin tribe in North Sinai launched an attack on Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis positions in Rafah.[93] The attack came after Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis gunmen fatally shot a member of Al-Tarabin tribe in Berth village in southern Rafah, North Sinai, after he refused to take their warning statements ordering them not to deal with the Egyptian military.[94]

May

On 16 May 2015, three Egyptian judges and their driver were killed when gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in North Sinai. The attack came hours after a Cairo court issued a preliminary death sentence against former president Mohamed Morsi and 105 other defendants on a range of charges, including murder.[95]

June

On 9 June 2015, militants fired rockets at the direction of an airport in Sinai used by the multinational peacekeeping forces.[96]

July

July 2015 Sinai attacks

On 1 July 2015, Sinai Province militants launched one of the largest attacks ever, since the insurgency begun in 2011, on multiple Egyptian army checkpoints in the Sinai Peninsula, killing 21 soldiers. The attack also targeted Sheikh Zuweid police station. Reinforcements from the Second Army Zone stationed in Ismailia have been deployed to Sheikh Zuweid, and F-16 fighter jets were spotted targeting militants in the city. Militants have reportedly killed several civilians who refused to allow them onto their rooftops to target security forces.[97] An army statement claimed the killing of more than 100 militants from the attacking force. The militant death toll increased in the following days, due to Egyptian military operations in the region, reaching 241 killed.

On 4 July 2015, a shell bomb struck a house in Sheikh Zuweid, killing a woman and her two children. On the same day, a roadside bomb targeting army and police vehicles killed a five-year-old child in Rafah.[98]

On 15 July 2015, twenty militants were killed as security forces repelled an attack on a security checkpoint in North Sinai.[99]

On 16 July 2015, Sinai Province militants attacked an Egyptian navy patrol ship near the border with Israel and the Gaza Strip. The patrol ship was hit by a guided missile. The Egyptian military confirmed the incident and said in a statement that there are no fatalities among the vessel's crew. The attack is considered the first maritime attack of the Islamic State and its allied militant groups.[100]

On 23 July 2015, an officer and three soldiers were killed and three others were wounded when an improvised roadside bomb hit their armoured vehicle in a village near the town of Rafah.[101]

On 24 July 2015, the Egyptian army said it has killed 12 terrorists and destroyed two warehouses storing explosive materials.[102]

On 31 July 2015, the Egyptian military bombed areas of the North Sinai towns of al-Arish and Sheikh Zuweid, killing 20 suspected militants.[103]

August

On 1 August 2015, Egyptian army forces surrounded the home of a leading figure of the Sinai-based militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, in the town of Sheikh Zuweid, before shooting him dead.[24]

September

On 3 September 2015, four American and two Fijian Multinational Force and Observers troops were wounded in an attack involving two IEDs.[104][105]

Operation Martyr's Right

On 8 September 2015, the Egyptian military launched a major operation code-named "The Martyr's Right". The operation is the largest and most comprehensive operation aimed at rooting out and killing terrorists since July's immediate response to militant attacks. The operation targeted sites in Rafah, Arish, and Sheikh Zuweid, all towns in the northern areas of the peninsula.[106] 535 militants were killed in September 2015.[107]

On 13 September 2015, a Fijian soldier attached to the Multinational Force and Observers was wounded by small arms fire.[108]

October

Downing of Russian passenger plane

Flowers and children's toys at the Pulkovo Airport entrance. The sign at the back says "To the victims of A321 plane crash".

On 31 October 2015, a Russian passenger jet disintegrated above the northern Sinai, killing all 224 aboard.[109] The Islamic State's Sinai Province claimed responsibility for the incident. Russian, Egyptian, and western investigators concluded that the plane was brought down by a bomb.[110]

December

On 8 December, a bomb in Rafah killed four soldiers and injured four others.[111]

2016

Insurgent attacks increased in early 2016, nearly doubling between the last quarter of 2015 and the second quarter of 2016.[112] However, according to The Times of Israel, the numbers of attacks and casualties was declining by August 2016.[113]

March

On 19 March, an attack on a checkpoint in Arish killed 13 policemen.[114]

April

Another attack on 7 April killed 15 soldiers and two civilians.[115][116]

May

In May, Egyptian security forces launched an air attack on Jabal Halal, a region with an extensive cave system that was a major insurgent stronghold. According to the Egyptian military, 88 militants were killed and many supply caches were destroyed.[113]

June

On 28 June, A series of air strikes killed 30 ISIS fighters and injured 50 others.[117]

August

Then, on 4 August, the army claimed to have killed the leader of Sinai Province, Abu Duaa al-Ansari.[118] Independent sources were unable to verify this claim, or even the existence of al-Ansari.[118][119] Previous reports had described Abu Osama al-Masri as the leader.[119]

September

The army reported another 40 militants killed by airstrikes in September.[120]

October

On 14 October a total 12 soldiers and 15 militants were killed.[121] On 17 October several clashes in North Sinai left 3 soldiers and 18 insurgents dead.[122] On 30 October a military operation in North Sinai left 4 soldiers and 6 insurgents dead.[123]

November

On 5 November Egyptian soldiers killed at least 11 terrorist.[124] On 10 November army soldiers killed at least 6 insurgents.[125]

2017

January

On 9 January 2017, an attack by several gunmen and a truck bomb on a police checkpoint in El-Arish causing at least 13 deaths and 22 injuries, according to official sources.[126] One of the attackers, drove a stolen rubbish truck loaded with explosive at the security checkpoint, as gunmen opened fire on police forces.[126]

April

Palm Sunday church bombings

On February 2017, ISIS produced a video calling for attacks against Christians.[127][128][129] In April, ISIS attacked several churches in Egypt Known as Palm Sunday church bombings. The attacks killed over 40 people.[130]

July

In July, a militant raid on an army checkpoint resulted in the deaths of at least 23 soldiers. The checkpoint was looted for weapons and ammunition before the attackers fled the scene.[131] Later that month an attack targeting police killed 5 officers and wounded 11 in the city of el-Arish. A later roadside bomb south of the city wounded a further 6 officers. The attacks came the same day officials claimed the Egyptian Air Force had killed at least 30 militants in strikes on a gathering.[132]

September

In September officers were again attacked in el-Arish, with 18 killed and 7 wounded in an assault involving roadside bombs and small arms fire.[133]

November

Sinai mosque attack

On November 24, 2017, the Sufi al-Rawda mosque in the town of Bir al-Abed, North Sinai Governorate, Egypt was attacked by around forty gunmen during Friday prayers. The gun and bomb attack killed at least 235 people and injured more than 120, making it the deadliest terrorist attack in Egyptian history and the second deadliest attack in 2017, after the 14 October 2017 Mogadishu bombings.[134] Other reports of the attack assert that over 300 deaths occurred.[135]

December

On December 19, 2017 El Arish International Airport was attacked in an attempt to assassinate the Minister of Interior Magdi Abdel-Ghaffar and the minister of defense Sedki Sobhy. The assassination attempt failed and one officer was killed and two were injured.[136] ISIS used kornet anti-tank missile in the attack.[137] Next day a new clash started near the airport where 5 ISIS militants were killed and an army captain was killed.[138]

2018

On 9 February 2018, Col. Tamer el-Refai, the military's spokesman, announced in a statement on state-run television, titled "Communique 1 from the General Command of the Armed Forces", the launching of Comprehensive Operation – Sinai 2018.

On 8 October 2018, Egyptian military declared in an operation they have killed 52 Islamist militants. Three Egyptian soldiers were also killed.[139]

2019

In May 2019, Human Rights Watch reported that throughout the operations in Sinai the "Egyptian military and police have carried out systematic and widespread arbitrary arrests—including of children—enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings, collective punishment, and forced evictions", based on interviews with dozens of Sinai residents.[140]

In November 2019, Egyptian forces killed 83 suspected fighters in operations in central and North Sinai.[141]

2020

From 2018 to 2020, 840 militants were killed by Egyptian Security Forces who lost 67 soldiers in return.[142] In March 2020, Egyptian forces managed to kill Abu Fares Al-Ansari, a commander of Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, in Al Ajra' area south of Rafah.[143]

On 1 May 2020, ISIL claimed responsibility via its Amaq News Agency for a bombing that killed and wounded several Egyptian Army personnel near the city of Bir al-Abd in North Sinai Governorate.[144] In retaliation, Egyptian police managed to kill 18 extremist militants in a raid in northern Sinai Peninsula.[145]

Areas of insurgency

According to Reuters, as of 2013, Ansar Bait al-Maqdis was in control of about a third of the villages in Sinai.[146] Now, daily clashes with militants in North Sinai are reported by the army.[147] The insurgency has not spread to south Sinai, where there are tourist hubs. In the northeastern part of the peninsula, checkpoints have often been established by militants as the army lack the power to stop them. The militants have captured and assassinated policemen there.[148]

Outside of Sinai

On 24 December 2013, sixteen people were killed and over a hundred people injured in a huge bomb which hit the Daqahliya Security Directorate in Mansoura. Ansar Bait al-Maqdis claimed responsibility for the attack.[72]

On 5 August 2014, 5 policemen were killed in an attack on a police car on Matrouh road by armed militants.[149]

On 28 November 2014, the militant group Sinai Province claimed responsibility for the killing of 2 army personnel in Cairo and Qaliubiya.[150][151]

On 1 December 2014, Sinai Province claimed responsibility for killing a United States citizen in Egypt's western desert in August 2014.[152]

On 21 December 2014, the Egyptian police raided an Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis cell in the Nile Delta killing 5 members.[153]

On 26 December 2014, two Ansar Bait al-Maqdis militants were killed in a gunfight in El-Salam City, on the eastern outskirts of Cairo.[154] The Ministry of Interior later identified one of the dead militants as the commander of Ansar Beit El-Maqdis in the Nile Delta.

On 11 July 2015, a car-bomb exploded near the Italian consulate in Cairo, killing one person and injuring nine others. None of the Italian staff of the consulate were injured as the establishment was still closed at the time of the explosion. Later, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.[155]

In the Gaza Strip

Out of the approximately 15 main militant groups operating in the Sinai desert, the most dominant and active militant groups have close relations with the Gaza Strip.[156] The Army of Islam, a U.S. designated terrorist organization based in the Gaza Strip, is responsible for training and supplying many militant organizations and jihadist members in Sinai.[156] Mohammed Dormosh, the Army of Islam's leader, is known for his close relationships to the Hamas leadership.[156] The Army of Islam smuggles members into the Gaza Strip for training, then returns them to the Sinai Peninsula to engage in terrorist and jihadist activities.[157]

Egyptian response

Military tactics

The disposition of Egyptian forces in the Sinai peninsula is mandated by the Camp David Accords and monitored by the 1,600 foreign troops that make up the Multinational Force and Observers. Egypt is permitted only enough military forces in the Sinai to enforce security.[158]

In 2011, Egypt sent an additional 2,500 troops and 250 armored personnel, with helicopters as part of Operation Eagle, a mission to provide security during the power transition from then-recently fallen Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.[159] Operation Eagle was joined by Operation Sinai in 2012, which came in response to a militant attack against an Egyptian border post 5 August that killed 16 border guards. Together, the two operations increased the total troop count by more than 2,500 added 80 vehicles and at least two attack helicopters. Egypt also was allowed to deploy armed fighter jets to El Arish to assist its ground forces in Sinai.[159][160]

Egypt's expanded force structure in Sinai is designed to deny militants sanctuary by bringing more force to bear than the municipal police alone can provide. Many of the new forces are stationed in the northeast of Sinai along the Egyptian border with Gaza. Setting up roadblocks and checkpoints to monitor and inspect traffic transiting the Sinai Peninsula to counter this smuggling.[159]

In the October 2014 attacks, for the first time the militants in Sinai used suicide truck bombs to breach army roadblocks and strongpoints, then followed them with an infantry attack.

After the October attacks, the Egyptian military began using armed drones for the first time since the Sinai insurgency began.[161] And as a measure to counter weapon and militant trafficking between Egypt and Gaza strip, the Egyptian government announced the creation of a buffer zone along the Egypt-Gaza border.[162]

Following the attacks on army and police bases in Arish in early 2015, the Egyptian President issued a decree to create a unified military command for the east of the Suez Canal to combat terrorism. Led by General Osama Roshdy Askar, it was to guide counter-terrorism activities of the Second and Third Armies.[163]

On 27 April 2015, Egypt's Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab issued a decree ordering the isolation and evacuation of new areas in North Sinai's Rafah city, thus expanding the buffer zone.[164]

A shift in the militants strategy appeared in the July 2015 clashes. Zack Gold, Middle East analyst, views the battle as a change in strategy from hit and run tactics toward an ISIL-like 'holding' of territory.[165]

As an effort to limit car-bombs attacks, Egypt's Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab issued a decree banning 4X4 vehicles in army-operations zones in Sinai.[166]

In his first meeting with a Middle East nation since his confirmation as defense secretary, Mark Esper met with Egypt's Minister of Defense Mohammad Zaki and pressed him to use counterinsurgency-style tactics in the effort in the Sinai Peninsula. His Deputy for the Middle East Mick Mulroy said that he spoke to Minister Zaki extensively about their efforts in the Sinai and that it was clear they shared the belief in the importance of a population-centric approach to the counter-terrorism effort, even if it takes longer to be successful. Mulroy said he saw evidence of this during his visit to the Sinai where he spoke to both senior and junior military leaders. The fight in the Sinai forms part of the classified Irregular Warfare Annex to the National Defense Strategy, which calls on the Department of Defense to use foreign internal defense principles, advise and assist tactics, and influence operations. [167]

Following the mosque attack in November 2017, President el-Sisi vowed to respond with "the utmost force" and Egyptian authorities in the days immediately after the attack the Air Force claimed to have the pursued and destroyed of some of the militants' vehicles and weapons stocks.[168] Airstrikes were also conducted in the neighboring mountains.[169] In February 2018, the Egyptian military conducted major air strikes and land assaults against terrorist positions in Sinai.[170]

Judicial response

The Egyptian government has used the death penalty to punish those convicted of committing terrorist acts in Sinai. On 26 December 2017, Egypt hanged 15 men convicted of killing nine soldiers during an attack on a military checkpoint in 2013.[171]

Israeli involvement

Extensive smuggling and kidnapping of migrants (mostly from African countries), drugs and contraband from Sinai into Israel was commonplace in the past, serving as an important source of income for insurgent groups in the Sinai. The crisis in Egypt resulted in a rise in illicit and insurgent activities across the Egypt–Israel border, prompting Israel to construct the Egypt–Israel barrier, completed in 2013. This had the effect of practically eliminating illegal migrant crossing into Israel and significantly reducing cross-border insurgency.[172]

On 16 October 2017, the Islamic State announced that it had fired rockets at Eshkol region in Israel, in response to 'Jewish aircraft' assisting Egyptian security forces.[173]

On 23 May 2018, the Islamic State released a video claiming that Israeli aircraft struck civilian homes in the Sinai and showed Hebrew labels on munitions purportedly found in aftermath of the attack.[174]

On 2 February 2018, Lebanese Al Akhbar reported that in the last several months, Israel had struck targets of the Islamic State in Sinai, including Palestinians who after abandoning the group's strongholds in Syria and Iraq, joined the offshoot in Sinai. As a result of the airstrikes, more around 20 militants of the group were killed.[175]

As of the 3rd of February 2018, The New York Times wrote that the Israeli Defence Forces had conducted over 100 air strikes in Sinai, which elicited an Egyptian military denial.

Reactions

Israel

In the two years following 2011, Israel approved two Egyptian military increases in the Sinai Peninsula above levels set in the Camp David Accords, which mandates that the Sinai must remain demilitarized, with only enough forces in Sinai to enforce security.[159][160][176] Israel did so because it is not in its interest to have unrest in Sinai, whether political protests or militant violence.[159]

However, in late 2012, concern began to be raised as Egypt began deploying more force and tanks without coordination from Israel. On 21 August, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that it is important for Israel to make sure that the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty is upheld, and not to remain silent as Egyptian military forces enter the Sinai. Concern was raised by Israeli officials over Egyptian failure to notify Israel about the deployment of tanks in the Sinai, which violates the peace treaty. Lieberman said, "We must make sure that every detail is upheld, otherwise we'll find ourselves in a slippery slope as far as the peace treaty is concerned."[177]

On the same day, Israeli daily Maariv reported that Israel sent a message to Egypt via the White House, protesting Egypt's ongoing increase in military presence in the Sinai without coordination from Israel, and telling Egypt that it must remove tanks from the Sinai because their presence violates the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty of 1979, which states that Sinai Peninsula is to remain demilitarized. The Maariv report was echoed by an article in The New York Times, which stated that Israel was "troubled" by the entry of Egyptian tanks into the northern Sinai Peninsula without coordination with Israel and had asked Egypt to withdraw them.[178] Partly due to Egypt's military deploying tanks in the Sinai Peninsula, Israel is increasingly worried about what has long been their most critical regional relationship.[179] The lack of coordination around their deployment is seen as potentially undermining a peace treaty that has been a cornerstone of Israel's security for decades according to the New York Times.[179] Israel is also concerned that Egypt may use Operation Eagle to build up its military presence in the Sinai, and leave the tanks and armored carriers in the Sinai while not doing much more than symbolic action to eliminate the terrorist threat.[180]

Israel has not issued a formal complaint, and instead prefers to resolve the issue through quiet contacts, as well as mediation from the U.S., to avoid straining its relationship with Egypt.[181]

On 24 August 2012, a senior Egyptian military source said that Egyptian Defense Minister Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak have reached an agreement on the issue of the militarization of the Sinai. Al Hayat reported that Sissi phoned Barak and said that Egypt was committed to maintaining the peace treaty with Israel.[182] Sissi also said that the militarization was temporary, and was needed for security and to fight terrorism. However, an Israeli defense official denied that such a conversation took place.[183]

In late August 2012, Morsi said that the security operations do not threaten anyone, and "there should not be any kind of international or regional concerns at all from the presence of Egyptian security forces". Morsi added that the campaign was in "full respect to international treaties. The Egyptian-Israeli peace deal places limits on Egyptian military deployment in the Sinai. Officials in Israel were concerned about Egypt building up heavy armour in Sinai.[184]

On 8 September 2012, an Israeli official confirmed that coordination exists between Israel and Egypt regarding Operation Eagle. Egyptian Military spokesman Ahmed Mohammed Ali had earlier announced that Egypt has been consulting with Israel regarding its security measures in the Sinai.[185]

On 2 July 2015, one day after the attacks on 15[186] Egyptian Army checkpoints, Israel announced that it was giving Egypt a "free hand to operate in northern Sinai against local jihadist groups, voluntarily ignoring an annex to the 1979 Camp David Peace Accords banning the presence of significant Egyptian forces in the area."[187][188]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent condolences to Egypt for the terrorist attacks that rocked that country on 1 July. He further stated that "we are together with Egypt and many other states in the Middle East and the world in the struggle against extreme Islamic terrorism."[189]

As of the 3rd of February 2018, The New York Times had claimed that Israel has conducted over a 100 Air Strikes in Sinai which has been denied by the Egyptian Military Spokesman Col. Tamer a-Rifai.

United States

According to CNN, in a move to increase security in the Sinai, help Morsi, and reassure Israel, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta offered Egypt classified intelligence-sharing capabilities to help Egypt identify military threats in the area, which he discussed during his recent trips to Egypt and Israel. The technology has been widely used in Iraq and Afghanistan to identify vehicles at great distances. The technology may also be used by the Multinational Force and Observers in Sinai. The United States is also offering increased intelligence sharing, including satellite imagery and drone flights, as well as cellphone intercepts and other communications among militants suspected of plotting attacks.[190]

On 22 August 2012, the State Department urged Egypt to be transparent over Operation Eagle and any security operations in the Sinai. The State Department said that the United States supports Operation Eagle against terrorism, but stressed that Egypt must continue coordination with Israel regarding these operations and military increases in the Sinai, according to the 1979 Camp David Accords.[191] The State Department also called on Egypt to fulfill its obligations under the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty and deal strongly with security threats in the Sinai, while ensuring that "lines of communication stay open."[192]

On 23 August 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr, urged Amr to maintain lines of communication with Israel, and emphasized the importance of being transparent over the militarization of the Sinai.[181]

Multinational Force and Observers in Sinai

The Multinational Force and Observers in Sinai, a 1,650-strong international organization created in 1979 during the Camp David Accords with peacekeeping responsibilities, kept a low profile during the intensification of Operation Eagle in 2012. A representative for the organization said that "we are unable to respond to queries from the media at this time" in response to whether Egypt asked permission to move weaponry into the Sinai, and whether Israel granted it.[193]

Jordan

The Egyptian pipeline carrying natural gas to Jordan has been attacked at least 15 times since the start of the uprising in early 2011.[194] The lack of Egyptian gas hit Jordan budget severely (by JOD 1.4 billion or the equivalent of USD 2 billion yearly for the past two years) and they are looking for Egypt to compensate for the lost quantities.[195]

Other

A Mada Masr journalist questioned the accuracy of Interior Ministry reports on at least two accusations.[196] CBS journalist Clarissa Ward went undercover into the Sinai and witnessed evidence of a scorched earth policy.[197]

gollark: How ethical.

gollark: * tomorrow

gollark: ```luaprint("Bees approach from the north.")```

gollark: Consider rapidly. We have very little time until [REDACTED].

gollark: Too bad, you are to consider it.

References

Dyer, Emily; Kessler, Oren (2014). Terror in the Sinai (PDF). London: The Henry Jackson Society. ISBN 978-1-909035-14-0. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
"Egypt Denies Report of 100 Israeli Airstrikes in Sinai Over Last Two Years: https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/egypt/egypt-denies-report-of-100-israeli-airstrikes-in-sinai-1.5790379". Haaretz. 3 February 2018. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018 |archive-url= requires |url= (help). Egyptian Army spokesperson Col. Tamer a-Rifai denied the New York Times report claiming Egypt sanctioned over a 100 Israeli airstrikes in North Sinai in the last two years to aid combat the Islamic State. External link in |title= (help)
"Israeli Intelligence Infiltrates ISIS in the Sinai". Jerusalem Center for Pyblic Affairs. 14 January 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
"Donald Trump's New World Order". The New Yorker. 18 June 2018. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018. Recently, coöperation among Israel and the Gulf states has expanded into the Sinai Peninsula, where M.B.Z. has deployed Emirati forces to train and assist Egyptian troops who have been fighting militants with help from Israeli military aircraft and intelligence agencies. U.A.E. forces have, on occasion, conducted counterterrorism missions in Sinai.
"Perpetrators of second Rafah massacre arrested". Daily News Egypt. 1 September 2013. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
"Egypt sentences 14 to death for 2011 Sinai attacks". The Times of Israel. 24 September 2012. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
"Jihadists attack international peacekeeper base in Egypt's Sinai - FDD's Long War Journal". longwarjournal.org. 15 September 2012. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
"Deadly attacks in Sinai highlight the region's growing instability". American Enterprise Institute. 23 July 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
"Ansar al Sharia Egypt in the Sinai". Long War Journal. 6 July 2013. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014.
"Hassm expands armed operations from Sinai into Nile Delta". Mada Masr. 27 March 2017. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
"Egypt's Sinai desert: A haven for malcontents". The Economist. 13 July 2013. Archived from the original on 16 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
"Jund al Islam claims credit for Sinai suicide car bomb attacks". The Long War Journal. 12 September 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
"(Allied) Popular Resistance Movement". Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
"Egypt army arrests head of Sinai radical militant group, dozens others". Ahram Online. 1 November 2013. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
"Jaysh al-Islam". Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
"Al Furqan Brigades". Terrorism Research & Analysis Consortium. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
"Ajnad Misr". Terrorism Research & Analysis Consortium. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
"'State of Sinai' claim attacks as part of 'IslamiYouth Uprising'". Daily News Egypt. 29 November 2014. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
Bill Roggio, Mujahideen Shura Council denies involvement in Sinai assault, Long War Journal (Foundation for the Defense of Democracies) 6 August 2012 Archived 15 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine
"Al-Jihadeya Al-Salafeya leader Al-Zawahiri captured". Daily News Egypt. 17 August 2013. Archived from the original on 20 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
"2 militants killed in North Sinai". Ahram Online. 31 August 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
"Egypt army kills 15 militants in Sinai". Xinhua. 9 October 2014. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
"Islamic State's Egypt affiliate urges attacks on judges - recording". Reuters UK. 20 May 2015. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
"Egypt army says it killed Sinai-based leading militant - statement". Aswat Mariya. 1 August 2015. Archived from the original on 1 August 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
"Egypt says top militant killed". Arab News. 2 August 2015. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
"Sisi: Egyptians chose 'the difficult path'". 10 January 2017. Archived from the original on 12 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
"Sinai, Egypt's unsolved problem". Ahram Online. 18 July 2013. Archived from the original on 19 July 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
"Egypt's long, bloody fight against the Islamic State in Sinai is going nowhere". Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
Worth, Robert F. (2016). A Rage for Order: The Middle East in Turmoil, from Tahrir Square to ISIS. Pan Macmillan. p. 226. ISBN 9780374710712. Archived from the original on 25 February 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2016. The insurgency in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula was growing fiercer. At least two thousand soldiers and police had been killed in the preceding two year [up to the Summer of 2015].
"Many Egyptian troops killed or wounded in North Sinai". Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
Walsh, Declan; Kirkpatrick, David D. (25 November 2017). "In Egypt, Furious Retaliation but Failing Strategy in Sinai". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
"The Heavy Civilian Toll in Sinai". Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
"Death toll in Egypt mosque attack rises to more than 300". 25 November 2017. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
"Russian plane crash in Egypt: It's too early to determine cause, officials say". Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
"South Korean church mourns after Egypt bombing". Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
"Three Vietnamese tourists, guide killed by Egypt roadside bomb". Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
"Croatian hostage 'killed by IS in Egypt'". Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
"IDF SOLDIER KILLED, ANOTHER WOUNDED IN BORDER ATTACK". Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
Farid, Farid (25 November 2017). "Egypt launches air strikes after deadly mosque attack". The Age. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
Awad, Marwa. "Egypt army operation nets militants in Sinai-sources". AF. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
The Age, 16 February 2015: Egypt strikes back at Islamic State militants after beheading video, killing dozens Archived 19 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine
Mazel, Zvi (21 February 2017). "ISIS in Sinai: the Libyan connection". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
"Sinai Peninsula – from Buffer Zone to Battlefield" (PDF). February 2015. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
"Clashes in Sinai over Morsi removal". Ahram Online. 5 July 2013. Archived from the original on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
"Sinai population still striving for basic rights as unrest continues: Report". Ahram Online. 12 March 2015. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
"Pentagon pushes Egypt to fight counterinsurgency campaign in Sinai". 31 July 2019.
"Mapping jihadi groups in Sinai". Egypt Independent. 10 August 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
"Analysis: Egypt Tackles Increased Sinai Militancy". Lebanonwire.com. 22 May 2013. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
Awad, Marwa (16 August 2011). "Egypt army operation nets militants in Sinai-sources". Reuters Africa. Cairo. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
Khaled, Osama (11 August 2011). "Special forces deployed to Sinai to restore security". Almasry Alyoum. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
"UPDATED: Egyptian troops strike hard in North Sinai after multiple attacks". Al Ahram. Archived from the original on 10 August 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
"Egypt Army kills 32, arrests 38 more in Sinai offensive". GlobalPost. 8 September 2012. Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
"The New Triangle of Egypt, Israel, and Hamas". Washington Institute. 12 January 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
"More troops and equipment arrive in Egypt's Sinai as hostage crisis continues". Associated Press. 21 May 2013. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
"Suspect in kidnapping of Egyptian security men arrested". Reuters. 30 May 2013. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
"Egypt bloodletting rages with Islamic militants killing 25 police in Sinai Peninsula". CBS News. 19 August 2013. Archived from the original on 2 September 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
Christa Case Bryant (12 August 2013). "Militants dig in as Egypt cracks down on jihadi sandbox in Sinai". Christian Science Monitor. CSMonitor.com. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
"Sinai, Egypt's unsolved problem - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online". English.ahram.org.eg. Archived from the original on 12 August 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
"Egypt army launches counter-extremist operation in Sinai — RT News". RT. Archived from the original on 29 August 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
"Bomb attack on Sinai hotel leaves no casualties". Ahram Online. 2 August 2013. Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
"Majority of terrorists in Sinai arrested: source". Egypt Independent. 3 August 2013. Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
"Two mausoleums bombed in north, central Sinai". Ahram Online. 5 August 2013. Archived from the original on 6 August 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
"Egypt bloodletting rages with Islamic militants killing 25 police in Sinai Peninsula". CBS News. 19 August 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
Miller, Elhanan (28 August 2013). "Five Hamas members arrested over Egyptian police massacre". Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 1 September 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
"Top Sinai militant confesses murder of 25 policemen: Security source". Ahram Online. 3 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
"Egypt 'killed 78 militants' in recent operations in Sinai". English.ahram.org.eg. 23 August 2013. Archived from the original on 1 October 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
"Egypt army says 60 'terrorists' killed in Sinai in a month". Ahram Online. 7 August 2013. Archived from the original on 8 August 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
"Rocket attack kills 15 militants in Sinai: Egyptian state TV". Reuters. 3 September 2013. Archived from the original on 4 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
"9 Militants Are Reported Killed in Egyptian Army Raid in Sinai". New York Times. 7 September 2013. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
"Suicide bombings strike Egyptian military in border town in Sinai, killing 9". Associated Press. 11 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
"Egyptian tanks, helicopters push through Sinai". Associated Press. 9 September 2013. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
"Al-Qaida-linked group claims Egypt police attack". Associated Pres. 25 December 2013. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
"Sinai's Ansar Bait Al-Maqdis claim responsibility for Egypt's Mansoura blast". Ahram Online. 25 December 2013. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
Ashour, Omar; Ashour, Omar (8 November 2015). "Sinai's Stubborn Insurgency". Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 28 June 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017 – via www.foreignaffairs.com.
"Militants Down Egyptian Helicopter, Killing 5 Soldiers". The New York Times. 26 January 2014. Archived from the original on 1 February 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
"Military airstrikes kill 30 militants in North Sinai: media reports". Ahram Online. 3 February 2014. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
"Egypt Bus Blast in Sinai Peninsula Kills Korean Tourists". Bloomberg News. 16 February 2014. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
"Bombing of Tourist Bus Kills at Least Three in Sinai". The New York Times. 16 February 2014. Archived from the original on 26 July 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
"State of Emergency declared in parts of North Sinai after attack kills 31 soldiers". Ahram Online. 24 October 2014. Archived from the original on 6 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
"Fresh statement claims Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis has allied with IS". Ahram Online. 10 November 2014. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
"ISIS Releases Graphic Propaganda Video For Ansar Bait al-Maqdis". International Business times. 14 November 2014. Archived from the original on 17 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
"Kidnapped police captain in Sinai found dead: Army". 13 January 2015. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
"Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis releases video of "policeman's execution"". Ahram Online. 26 January 2015. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
"At least 32 killed in Egypt as militants attack army and police targets in Sinai". The Guardian. 29 January 2015. Archived from the original on 30 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
Kirkpatrick, David (30 January 2015). "Bomb Attacks at Security Sites in Sinai Kill at Least 26". New York Times. Archived from the original on 30 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
"Egyptian military kills 47 militants in the Sinai". Reuters. 6 February 2015. Archived from the original on 7 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
"Bombs kill two, wound dozens in Egypt's North Sinai". Reuters. 10 March 2015. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
"Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis claims Thursday Sinai attacks". Ahram Online. 3 April 2015. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
"15 suspected militants killed in North Sinai raids - state agency". Aswat Masriya. 3 April 2015. Archived from the original on 9 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
"PressTV-Egypt kills 100 terrorists in Sinai". presstv.ir. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
"Egypt army killed 29 suspected militants in North Sinai this week". Ahram Online. 8 April 2015. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
"UPDATE 3: At least 6 dead, including one civilian, in Arish suicide bomb attack". Ahram Online. 12 April 2015. Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
"Al-Tarabeen tribe launches offensive against ISIS hideouts in Sinai". Sada El Balad. 27 April 2015. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
"Rafah Bedouin killed, another abducted after Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis warns tribe". The Cairo Post. 27 April 2015. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
"3 judges, driver killed in gun attack in Egypt's North Sinai". Ahram Online. 16 May 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
"Sinai Province fires rockets towards airport used by multinational peacekeepers". Hurriyet Daily News. 10 June 2015. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
"LIVE UPDATES: Largest attack on restive Sinai leaves dozens dead". Ahram Online. 1 July 2015. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
"Civilians killed in Egypt's Sinai battles". Media with Conscience (MWC) News. 4 July 2015. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
"20 militants killed in attack on security checkpoint in North Sinai: Reports". Ahram Online. 15 July 2015. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
"Naval Terror: ISIS says it hits Egyptian patrol ship near Mediterranean coast". Ahram Online. 16 July 2015. Archived from the original on 17 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
"UPDATED: IS claims responsibility for North Sinai bombing that killed 4 Egyptian troops". Ahram Online. 23 July 2015. Archived from the original on 24 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
"Egypt's army says it killed 12 'terrorists' in North Sinai". Ahram Online. 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
"20 suspected militants killed in North Sinai shelling - military sources". Aswat Masriya. 31 July 2015. Archived from the original on 2 August 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
"Sinai blasts injure six peacekeepers, including four Americans: Pentagon". Reuters. 4 September 2015. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
Lamothe, Dan (4 September 2015). "Four U.S. troops, two international peacekeepers wounded in Sinai blasts". Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017 – via www.WashingtonPost.com.
"The Martyr's Right is Egypt's largest military action in North Sinai in months: Sources". Ahram Online. 8 September 2015. Archived from the original on 15 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
"Egypt says killed 55 militants in Sinai, two soldiers killed". Reuters. 15 September 2015. Archived from the original on 17 September 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
"After Fiji soldier wounded in Sinai, others prepare for deployment". RadioNZ.co.nz. 14 September 2015. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
"Inside Egypt's Blacked-Out War With ISIS-Affiliated Militants". TIME. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
"In Reversal, Egypt Says Terrorists Downed Russian Jet Over Sinai". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
"PressTV-Egypt Sinai bombing kills 4 soldiers". www.presstv.ir. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
"Egypt Security Watch Quarterly Report: April–June 2016" (PDF). Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
Issacharoff, Avi. "Sinai attacks decline as Egypt's fight against IS yields results". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 1 September 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
"Egypt: 'IS attack' kills 13 policemen in Sinai". BBC News. Archived from the original on 20 June 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
Schwartz, Yardena (10 May 2016). "Israel Patrols Its Southern Border as ISIS Lurks in the Sinai Peninsula". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
"Seven killed, 15 injured in Sinai blasts". Reuters. 8 April 2016. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
"Over 30 gunmen said killed in Egyptian strikes in Sinai". Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
"Egypt Claims To Have Killed A Top ISIS Leader In Sinai". Vocativ. 17 August 2016. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
Taha Sakr (6 August 2016). "Confusion Over the Immortal Leader of Sinai Province". Daily News Egypt. Archived from the original on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
"Egyptian Air Force Kill Over 40 Militants in North Sinai - Reports". Sputnik News. Archived from the original on 5 September 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
"A suspected ISIL attack on a security checkpoint in North Sinai Governorate, Egypt, leaves at least 12 Egyptian military personnel and 15 terrorists dead". Reuters. 14 October 2016. Archived from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
"Three Egyptian soldiers killed during air, ground raids on Sinai militants: Army - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online". english.ahram.org.eg. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
"Four Egyptian army personnel killed in North Sinai: Armed forces - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online". english.ahram.org.eg. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
"11 militants killed in North Sinai military operation: Army spokesman - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online". english.ahram.org.eg. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
"Six militants killed in North Sinai military operation: Army Spokesperson - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online". english.ahram.org.eg. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
"Suicide bomb kills at least 10 in Egypt". The Independent. 9 January 2017. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
Fernandez, Alberto M. (22 February 2017). "ISIS Egypt Is Openly Betting On Bigotry As A Winning Strategy". MEMRI. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017.
Awad, Mokhtar (19 February 2017). Twitter https://twitter.com/Mokhtar_Awad/status/833417561148686342. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Missing or empty |title= (help)
"In New Video, ISIS Threatens To Increase Attacks On Copts". MEMRI. 20 February 2017. Archived from the original on 22 March 2017.
"Palm Sunday bombings of Egyptian Coptic churches kill 44". yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
"At least 23 Egyptian soldiers killed in attack on Sinai checkpoint". The Guardian. 7 July 2017. Archived from the original on 16 July 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
"Militants kill 5 police in attacks in Egypt's Sinai". ABC News. 17 July 2017. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
Sweilam, Ashraf; Hendawi, Hamza. "Militants attack convoy in Egypt's Sinai, kill 18 police". Spokesman.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
Maps, Esri Story. "Annual Terrorist Attacks". Esri. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
Najjar, Farah. (25 March 2018). "Sinai Peninsula: Sisi's offensive continues despite promises." Al Jazeera English website Archived 25 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 March 2018.
"Islamic State claims air base attack in Egypt's North Sinai". Reuters. 20 December 2017. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
"The Missile Attack on El Arish Airport". Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
Reuters (20 December 2017). "Egyptian Forces Clash With ISIS Militants Near Sinai Airport". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
"Egypt army says 52 suspected militants killed in Sinai". Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
"If You Are Afraid for Your Lives, Leave Sinai!". Human Rights Watch. 28 May 2019.
"Egypt forces kill 83 fighters in Sinai, military says". Al Jazeera. 4 November 2019.
AFP. "Seven Egyptian soldiers, ten militants killed in Sinai attack, army says". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
"مقتل فارس الأنصاري.. أخطر قيادي داعشي بسيناء". Al Arabiya (in Arabic). 13 March 2020.
"Islamic State claims responsibility for Egypt's Sinai attack". Reuters. 1 May 2020.
"Egypt Police Kill 18 Extremists in Sinai Raid". aawsat.com. 3 May 2020.
"Special Report: How Cairo is taking the fight to Sinai militants". Reuters. 27 April 2015. Archived from the original on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
"Bombs kill two in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula". The National. 10 March 2015. Archived from the original on 1 June 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
"At least 32 killed in Egypt as militants attack army and police targets in Sinai". theguardian.com. 30 January 2015. Archived from the original on 20 November 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
"5 police personnel, 4 militants killed in clashes on Matrouh road". 5 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
"'State of Sinai' claim attacks as part of 'Islamic Youth Uprising'". Daily News Egypt. 28 November 2014. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
"2 army officers killed, 3 conscripts injured in drive-by shootings". 28 November 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
"Egypt's Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis claims killing of US citizen in Western Desert". 1 December 2014. Archived from the original on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
"Members of 'terrorist cell' in Sharqiya killed: Egyptian police". Ahram Online. 21 December 2014. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
"UPDATED: Two Ansar Beit El-Maqdis militants killed in gunfight near Cairo". Ahram Online. 26 December 2014. Archived from the original on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
"ISIS claims responsibility for blast at Italian consulate in Cairo". RT News. 11 July 2015. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
"Egypt's ire raised as Hamas harbors Sinai jihadists". Times Of Israel. 22 August 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
"Gaza terrorists infiltrate Sinai". Ynet News. 7 August 2013. Archived from the original on 21 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
"Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
"Analysis: Egypt, Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula". bi-me. 17 November 2012. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
Herb Keinon (9 August 2012). "Security cabinet okays Egypt attack helicopters in Sinai". Reuters. The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 10 August 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
"طائرات بدون طيار تقصف مواقع التكفيريين فى سيناء" (in Arabic). Al Ahram. 17 November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
"Egypt to create buffer zone along Gaza border". 30 November 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
"Sisi creates unified military command to combat terrorism in Egypt's Sinai". Ahram Online. 31 January 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
"More areas of Sinai's Rafah to be evacuated: Egypt PM". Ahram Online. MENA. 27 April 2015. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
"Islamic State affiliate claims deadly attacks in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula". The Telegraph. 1 July 2015. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
"Egyptian cabinet bans use of 4X4 vehicles in army-operations zones in Sinai". Ahram Online. 12 July 2015. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
"Pentagon pushes Egypt to fight counterinsurgency campaign in Sinai". 31 July 2019.
"Egypt vows forceful response after massacre". BBC News. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
"Terror attack killing 235 Muslims praying on Friday is an 'unprecedented' atrocity in Egypt". The Independent. 24 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
Walsh, Declan (10 February 2018). "After a Mosque Massacre, Egypt Strikes Back in Sinai". New York Times. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
Nour Youssef (26 December 2017). "Egypt Hangs 15 for Terrorism, Stoking Fears Among Islamists". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
Lappin, Yaakov (15 January 2019). "Israel's border fence with Egypt has transformed the south". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
"Islamic State claims responsibility for Sinai rocket attack on Israel". The Times of Israel. 16 October 2017. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
"Islamic State claims 'proof' of Israeli airstrikes in northern Sinai". The Times of Israel. 16 October 2017. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
"דיווח לבנוני: ישראל חיסלה כ-20 מחבלי דאעש". Maariv. 6 February 2018. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
"Barak agrees to Egypt deploying troops, vehicles in Sinai". Jerusalem Post. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
Somfalvi, Attila (21 August 2012). "Lieberman: Don't let Egypt get away with violations". Yedioth Ahronot. Archived from the original on 22 August 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
Kershner, Isabel (21 August 2012). "Israel Asks Egypt to Remove Tanks From Sinai". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
Rudoren, Jodi (22 August 2012). "Developments in Iran and Sinai Deepen Israel's Worries About Egypt". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
Winer, Stuart (21 August 2012). "After buildup, Israel tells Egypt to remove tanks from Sinai". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 22 August 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
"Clinton urges Egypt, Israel to talk on Sinai". Reuters. The Jerusalem Post. 23 August 2012. Archived from the original on 23 August 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
Davidovitch, Joshua (24 August 2012). "Barak and Egyptian counterpart reportedly come to terms over Sinai offensive". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 27 August 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
"Egypt tells Israel military presence in Sinai is temporary". The Times of Israel. 25 August 2012. Archived from the original on 27 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
"Morsi's message to Israel: No reason for concern". Yedioth Ahronot. 28 August 2012. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
Shmulovich, Michal (8 September 2012). "Egypt says it has killed 32 'criminals' and arrested 38 since Sinai terror attack". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
معركة الثأر (مترجم إلى اللغة الإنجليزية) Sinai against terrorism - YouTube. YouTube. 5 July 2015. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
"Israel giving Egyptian army free hand in Sinai, official says". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 24 July 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
"Report: IDF to okay bolstered Egyptian forces in Sinai after deadly attacks". The Jerusalem Post - JPost.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
"Benjamin Netanyahu: We are partners with Egypt in the fight against ISIS that has reached our borders - Arab-Israeli Conflict - Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post - JPost.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
"CNN: US offers Egyptian army intelligence aid for Sinai battles". Israel Hayom; Reuters. Israel Hayom. 21 August 2012. Archived from the original on 23 August 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
Winer, Stuart; Ben Zion, Ilan (22 August 2012). "Washington calls for Egyptian transparency amid military buildup in Sinai". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 23 August 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
"US urges Egypt to retake control of Sinai". The Jerusalem Post. 23 August 2012. Archived from the original on 24 August 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
Keinon, Herb (21 August 2012). "Int'l force in Sinai quiet amid concern of Egypt violations". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
"Blast rocks Egypt's gas pipeline to Israel, Jordan". Reuters. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
"His Excellency Mr. Alaa Batayneh on Jordan's path towards energy independence". Naturalgaseurope.com. 16 May 2013. Archived from the original on 26 August 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
"Less than a warzone". Mada Masr. 9 July 2013. Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
"Inside Egypt's crackdown on Islamist militants". CBS. 3 December 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.

Ongoing armed conflicts
Africa	ADF insurgency Anglophone Crisis Batwa–Luba clashes Boko Haram insurgency Central African Republic Civil War Communal conflicts in Nigeria (Herder–farmer conflicts in Nigeria) Conflict in the Niger Delta Ethnic violence in South Sudan South Sudanese Civil War Insurgency in Egypt Insurgency in the Maghreb ISIL insurgency in Tunisia Islamist insurgency in Mozambique Ituri conflict Kamwina Nsapu rebellion‎ Katanga insurgency Kivu conflict Libyan Crisis Second Civil War Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Northern Mali conflict Oromo–Somali clashes Second Afar insurgency Sinai insurgency Somali Civil War War in Somalia Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile Sudanese nomadic conflicts War in Darfur
Americas	Colombian conflict War in Catatumbo Peruvian internal conflict EPP insurgency Mexican Drug War
East and South Asia	Afghanistan conflict 2001–present Balochistan conflict Sistan and Baluchestan insurgency Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Insurgency in Sindh Insurgency in Laos Insurgency in Northeast India Assam Meghalaya Manipur Nagaland Tripura Insurgency in the Philippines CPP–NPA–NDF Moro Internal conflict in Myanmar Kachin Karen Rohingya Kashmir conflict Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir Naxalite–Maoist insurgency Papua conflict Sectarianism in Pakistan South Thailand insurgency
Europe	War in Donbass (Ukraine) Russo-Ukrainian War
West Asia	Arab separatism in Khuzestan Iraq conflict (2003–present) Iraqi Insurgency Israeli–Palestinian conflict Gaza–Israel conflict Kurdish separatism in Iran West Iran clashes Kurdish–Turkish conflict 2015–present Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Qatif conflict 2017–2019 Qatif unrest Syrian Civil War Yemeni Crisis civil war Arab protests (2018–present) 2019–20 Persian Gulf crisis

List of modern conflicts in the Middle East
1910s	World War I Middle Eastern theatre Arab Revolt Armenian Genocide Assyrian genocide Mount Lebanon starvation Unification of Saudi Arabia Simko Shikak revolt Egyptian revolution of 1919 Turkish War of Independence Greco-Turkish War Turkish–Armenian War Franco-Turkish War Revolts Mahmud Barzanji revolts
1920s	Franco-Syrian War Iraqi revolt against the British Sectarian conflict in Mandatory Palestine Adwan Rebellion Arab separatism in Khuzestan Great Syrian Revolt Sheikh Said rebellion
1930s	Ararat rebellion Ahmed Barzani revolt Simele massacre Saudi–Yemeni War (1934) Goharshad Mosque rebellion 1935–1936 Iraqi Shia revolts 1935 Yazidi revolt Dersim rebellion
1940s	World War II Italian bombing of Palestine Anglo-Iraqi War Syria–Lebanon Campaign Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran 1943 Barzani revolt Alwaziri coup Al-Wathbah uprising Kurdish separatism in Iran Iran crisis of 1946 Arab–Israeli conflict 1948 Arab–Israeli War
1950s	1952 Egyptian coup d'état 1953 Iranian coup d'état Jebel Akhdar War Cyprus Emergency Suez Crisis Yemeni–Adenese clan violence 1958 Lebanon crisis 1958 Iraqi revolution 1959 Mosul uprising
1960s	Cyprus crisis of 1963–1964 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict First Iraqi–Kurdish War Dhofar Rebellion North Yemen Civil War Feb. 1963 Iraqi coup Mar. 1963 Syrian coup Nov. 1963 Iraqi coup Aden Emergency 1964 Hama riot Israeli–Palestinian conflict 1966 Syrian coup d'état
1970s	Black September in Jordan Yemenite War of 1972 Turkish invasion of Cyprus Shatt al-Arab clashes Lebanese Civil War Political violence in Turkey Islamist uprising in Syria NDF Rebellion Yemenite War of 1979 Iranian Revolution Consolidation of the Iranian Revolution 1979 Qatif Uprising Grand Mosque seizure 1979–1980 Shia uprising in Iraq
1980s	Iran–Iraq War 1980 Turkish coup d'état Kurdish separatism in Turkey Turkey–PKK conflict South Yemen Civil War 1986 Egyptian conscripts riot 1986 Damascus bombings Mecca massacre Abu Nidal's executions
1990s	Gulf War (1990–1991) 1991 uprisings in Iraq Terror campaign in Egypt (1990s) Yemeni Civil War (1994) Islamic insurgency in Saudi Arabia (2000–present) Operation Desert Fox al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen 1999 Shia uprising in Iraq
2000s	Iraq War Balochi insurgency in Iran 2004 Qamishli riots Houthi insurgency in Yemen Iran–Israel proxy conflict 2006 Lebanon War Fatah–Hamas conflict South Yemen insurgency
2010s	Bahraini uprising of 2011 Egyptian Crisis Sinai insurgency Insurgency in Egypt (2013–present) Syrian Civil War Turkish involvement in Syria Syrian War spillover in Lebanon Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013) Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017) Iraqi insurgency (2017–present) Yemeni Crisis Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) 2019–20 Persian Gulf crisis
This list includes WWI and later conflicts (after 1914) of at least 100 fatalities each Prolonged conflicts are listed in the decade when initiated; ongoing conflicts are marked italic and conflict with +100,000 killed with bold.

Sinai terror attacks

Background

Timeline

2011–2012

Operation Eagle

Operation Sinai

2013–2014

May

May 2013 hostage crisis

July

July 2013 escalation following Morsi ousting

September

December

January

2014 helicopter downing

February

2014 Taba bus bombing

October

October 2014 Sinai attacks

November

2015

January

January 2015 Sinai attacks

Security response

March

April

May

June

July

July 2015 Sinai attacks

August

September

Operation Martyr's Right

October

Downing of Russian passenger plane

December

2016

March

April

May

June

August

September

October

November

2017

January

April

Palm Sunday church bombings

July

September

November

Sinai mosque attack

December

2018

2019

2020

Areas of insurgency

Outside of Sinai

In the Gaza Strip

Egyptian response

Military tactics

Judicial response

Israeli involvement

Reactions

Israel

United States

Multinational Force and Observers in Sinai

Jordan

Other

See also

References

Further reading